Cape Town's Museum of Dogs is the world's only museum dedicated to celebrating dogs, delving into their timeless role in history as comforters, friends and workers. Across six main exhibition spaces founder Karel Van der Vyver – who trained in law, but truly loves museums – has created a journey exploring our enduring affection with hounds through captivating stories and interactive displays.
And in what is surely a sign that locals and visitors can't get enough of this engaging destination, The Museum of Dogs is now open until 8pm from Wednesday to Saturday; the only museum in Cape Town to keep evening hours, and the perfect addition to a night of art galleries on First Thursdays. The Museum will continue to be open from 10am – 5pm on Tuesdays and Sundays.
If you've already been, and loved the thoughtful ways in which faithful hounds are given their due, then you'll love the two new thought-provoking exhibitions that explore the human-canine connection through art.
'White Dogs' is an exhibition by DJ Shelwell, and offers a photographic exploration of Cape Town's dog-friendly wild places through the eyes of two rescue dogs, Glitter and Magenta. Captured across a variety of settings, the imagery is a collection of canine-focused Cape landscapes and offers a thought-provoking peek into a visual diary of daily walks.
In '(Non) Judgement' Tania Lee (a dog person) and Cristina Salvoldi (a cat person) use sculpture to challenge our perceptions of the human-animal relationship. Created as a collaboration, the exhibition features striking bust sculptures that project human emotions onto animals and invite dialogue about how we relate to the creatures around us.
And if that wasn't enough reason to visit, the Museum also tempts visitors with a range of treats.
From 10am to 5pm all visitors enjoy a complimentary cup of Terbodore coffee, while after 5pm you can enjoy a free Six Dogs gin and tonic (or a glass of wine) with your entrance fee. If you're still thirsty afterwards, the museum bar – the Watering Bowl – is open.
We all know dogs love to fetch, so the Museum is launching three new treasure hunt experiences: a hunt for under-12s, a date night treasure hunt, and an updated general hunt that gamifies the Museum experience.
The museum has also translated its exhibits and materials into French, German, Portuguese, and Russian, making it more accessible for international guests.
For more info, visit https://museumofdogs.co.
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