Inside Robben Island Museum | Walk In Nelson Mandela’s Footsteps

Step into the legacy of Nelson Mandela inside the Robben Island Prison Museum, a powerful symbol of resilience and hope, and a testament to the struggle for freedom and justice in South Africa. From its opening to its closing in 1996, over 1,500 prisoners, primarily political prisoners, were incarcerated here, fighting again the oppressive system of apartheid. At the museum, you’ll hear firsthand accounts from former inmates about their experiences, the conditions, and their treatment. You’ll also see the small cell where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in confinement, visit the garden when he buried his manuscript, “Long Walk to Freedom”, and the quarry where he and other political prisoners performed hard labor. This post covers a visit inside the Robben Island Museum, how to get here, and what to expect.

Robben Island Museum

The only way to get to the Robben Island Museum, on the small island off the coast of Cape Town, is to take a tour. Tours leave the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront near the Clock Tower. Here is an overview of what to expect.

Ferry Ride To Robben Island

The ferry ride across Table Bay to Robben Island takes about 30 minutes. If you want a prime spot to see the views of Cape Town and Table Mountain along the way, get a seat on the upper deck of the ferry.

Bus To The Prison

When you dock at Robben Island, you will be walked over to buses that will take you to the prison, which is an UNESCO World Heritage site. As you ride, you are given an overview of key sights along the way. This includes the building where Robert Sobukwe, another major anti-apartheid activist, was held for 6 years, a stop near the coast with a viewpoint of Cape Town (we got out and took photos here), and the quarry.

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The Quarry

The quarry is where political prisoners transferred limestone from one side of the quarry to the other. Then, they would move it back again. The work was intended to be grueling, humiliating, and to break their spirit. This demoralizing work was mainly given to prominent political prisoners.

The bright spot of this quarry is that it contained a secret classroom. It was in a cave that also served as a toilet for the prisoners. Because of the conditions, guards did not enter. It was in this cave that prisoners talked freely, exchanged ideas, and strengthened their spirit. Some of the ideas discussed here shaped the South African Constitution, which was adopted in 1996, after Nelson Mandela became the President of South Africa.

The Prison

At the prison, you get off the bus and meet your guide for your tour inside the Robben Island Museum. These guides are all former inmates of Robben Island, imprisoned here for political offenses. Our guide for the afternoon was Derick Basson who was 18 when he was incarcerated at Robben Island.

Our first stop was to visit one of the communal cells. Derick explained that he stayed in one of these communal cells, with 30-40 other men. The cramped quarters facilitated the spread of disease and created stress, impacting the mental health of the prisoners. He also showed us the food rations they received, which were minimal, not enough to meet nutritional needs, and he talked about life here.

After this, we walked to one of the prison yards, specifically the one outside of Nelson Mandela’s solitary confinement cell. The small garden in the far corner of this cemented-filled yard is where he buried his manuscript, “Long Walk To Freedom”, hiding it from prison guards. This manuscript, when released in 1994, exposed the horrors of apartheid, and reinforced Mandela’s status as a leader of the anti-apartheid movement.

After the yard, we walked by the small solitary prison cells, which were reserved for anti-apartheid political leadership. The cells are only about 2 meters x 2 meters. They contained a little table, and a bucket for a toilet. The bed was the floor. The photo below shows Nelson Mandela’s solitary cell.

After the solitary cells, we walked to the exit, where we were able to spent time asking Derrick any questions we had. Then we returned to the buses and headed back to Cape Town via the ferry.

While we will not forget the brutality of Apartheid, we will not want Robben stand to be a monument of our hardship & suffering. We would want it to be a triumph of the human spirit against forces of evil.
AHMED KATHRADA

Tours To Robben Island

The best place to get a ticket for a tour to Robben Island is the Nelson Mandela Gateway near the Clock Tower at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. Make sure to purchase your tickets a few days in advance, as they often sell out the day of, and the day prior. If you buy your tickets here, you will need to come back to this location the day of your tour to catch the ferry.

If you prefer to book tickets online and be picked up at your hotel, or a set location in Cape Town, try one of these tours.

• Robben Island Half Day Tour with Pre-Booked Entry Tickets
• Robben Island Tour including Pick Up & Drop Off from Cape Town

Is Visiting Robben Island Worth It?

Visiting the Robben Island Prison Museum is definitely worth it as this is such an important piece of South African history. Especially knowing that despite efforts to systematically incarcerate, divide, and dehumanize the activists, three inmates became future presidents of South Africa: Nelson Mandela, Kgalema Motlanthe, and Jacob Zuma.

Tips For Visiting Robben Island

• This is an extremely popular tour, so make sure to purchase tickets in advance. Book this at the beginning of your trip, so you can be sure to get a ticket.
• Arrive at the Nelson Mandela Gateway area 30 minutes before departure.
• Make sure to bring a copy of your ID with you.
• Bring a light jacket for the ferry ride, as it can get cool on windy days (which are common).
• Wear comfortable walking shoes.
• There is no filming or video taping allowed on the tours, as some guides plan to write books about their experiences at Robben Island.
• Remember to bring cash for a tip for your prison tour guide at the end of the tour.

Want More Of South Africa?

Here are some of my favorite places in and around Cape Town.

• South Africa Travel Guide
• Top 25 Things To Do In Cape Town | Beaches, Mountains, Wine, & Adventure
• Penguins, Cliffs, & Coastal Views | Tour To The Cape Of Good Hope
• South Africa Wine Country | Constantia, Stellenbosch, Paarl, and Franschhoek
• Discovering Llandudno Beach | A Hidden Gem In Cape Town
• Hiking Lions Head | A Scenic Ascent To A Breathtaking Summit
• Secret Sunset Rock | Cape Town’s Hidden Gem For Spectacular Sunsets
• Exploring The Woodstock Street Art Scene In Cape Town
• Cool Creative Places | The Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock
• Hiking The Majestic Jonkershoek Nature Reserve
• Castle Of Good Hope Museum | Unveiling Cape Town’s Rich History
• Skydiving In Cape Town | Soaring Over The Cape

Safe Travels!

Julie