South African National Gallery
South Africa's premier art museum – a 10 minute walk from the Mount Nelson Hotel, situated in the lush Company Gardens in the city centre - houses large collections of Southern African and international art, with exhibitions featuring paintings, photography, sculpture, beadwork and textiles. The permanent collection contains outstanding examples of British, French, Dutch and Flemish art, including many leading British artists of the early 20th century. New acquisitions focus on contemporary South African Art.
Michaelis Collection
Situated in the hub of Cape Town on Greenmarket Square, a 5 minute drive from the Mount Nelson Hotel, this collection is housed in the former City Hall (the Old Town House) built in 1755 in Cape Rococo style. Donated by Sir Max Michaelis in 1914, it consists of a world-renowned selection of Nederland’s art from the seventeenth-century Golden Age. There are works by Frans Hals, Jan Steen, Jacob Ruisdal, Anthony van Dyck and numerous others.
The Cape Gallery
This gallery is set in the heart of the old city off the Church Street Walking Mall, flanked by the colourful Georgian and Dutch facades built by the 18th and 19th century settlers. Behind these facades are some of the oldest and most prestigious galleries, antique shops and auction houses in Cape Town. Central to the tradition of South African painting is the abiding love of the land. Early Cape painters were' reporters' who described the topography, flora and fauna of this fascinating land, a conservative approach which is still favoured by the gallery's clients today. Recently the emergence of the vibrant street art has added an essentially African character to the work on display.
