Cape Town - Cultural History Museum (Slave Lodge)

The Slave Lodge is one of the oldest buildings in Cape Town. The original building, c 1679, served as a lodge for the slaves of the Dutch East India Company. Approximately six hundred slaves were housed in this building at a time.

In the mid 18th C the second storey was added and was converted to accommodate the Supreme Court.

Today the building houses the Cultural History Museum which contains Egyptian, Greek and Roman antiquities, collections of stamps, coins and weapons and a 19th C pharmacy.

Of particular historical interest are the "post stones" under which outward-bound seamen left letters in the hope that ships sailing in the opposite direction would pick them up and carry them home.

In the courtyard is a reproduction of Jan van Riebeeck's grave.