Celebrate one of the greatest moments in medical history at the Heart of Cape Town Museum – a museum dedicated to the world’s first successful heart transplant. Visitors experience the drama of that moment in the fully restored, original operating rooms laid out as they were on the day of the operation.
The medical museum also includes a timeline of events that led up to the operation and exhibitions on the donor Denise Darvall, and the surgeon Christiaan Barnard. A trained and certified tour guide will describe the electrifying events of the day with the help of silicone models and re-enact important scenes."
Heart of Cape Town Museum
Benefit: Free entry into the museum (Booking Required)
Regular Price: Adult SGD 431.00; Child SGD 215.50
FAVOURITE
Attraction Highlights
- Museum dedicated to the world’s first successful heart transplant
- Fully restored, original operating rooms laid out as they were on the day of the operation
- Trained and certified tour guide
Benefit:
Free entry into the museum (Booking Required)
Regular Price: Adult SGD 431.00; Child SGD 215.50
Important Notes
- We offer Guided Tours as well as walkabout tours.
- Group Bookings are essential
- We recommend you contact us directly in advance of your visit, either via phone or email, to check availability and to prevent disappointment
- If you book through 3rd party websites offering tickets to our museum, please note that you still need to contact us directly to check availability.
- Cameras are allowed in the museum. Due to the graphical nature of the displays, the tour is not recommended for children of pre-school age and younger.
| Address | Groote Schuur Hospital, Groote Schuur Dr, Observatory, Cape Town |
| Phone | +27 (0)21 404 1967 |
| Email: | [email protected] |
| Work Hours | Guided tours at 9:00 am, 11:00 am, and 01:00 pm, Mondays to Fridays; Weekend tours on prior request only |
| Closed Days | 25 December, 1 January & Easter Friday |
| Website | http://www.heartofcapetown.co.za |
What to expect
Things to look out for
There were several important milestones that led up to the first human heart transplant. The first of these was an operation performed on a dog on 22 July 1958. Norman Shumway and Dick Lower succeeded in bringing a dog’s heart back to life after it had stopped and been stored in saline for one hour. Six days later, Chris Barnard performed his first open heart surgery on 15-year-old Joan Pick.
Helpful Tips
At the time of this surgery, Christiaan Barnard received a lot of criticism, particularly about ethics. At the Heart of Cape Town Museum, the exhibition covers Barnard’s struggle and the ethical backlash and international attention the surgery received.
Another fascinating feature to take note of is the recreation of the donor recipient’s recovery. Ask the guides as much as you can about it – they are knowledgeable, and some have even worked with Barnard! The tour lasts roughly two hours, and although it is a fantastic learning experience for children, pre-school-age children and youngsters are not recommended as guests.
Another fascinating feature to take note of is the recreation of the donor recipient’s recovery. Ask the guides as much as you can about it – they are knowledgeable, and some have even worked with Barnard! The tour lasts roughly two hours, and although it is a fantastic learning experience for children, pre-school-age children and youngsters are not recommended as guests.
Important Notes
- We offer Guided Tours as well as walkabout tours.
- Group Bookings are essential
- We recommend you contact us directly in advance of your visit, either via phone or email, to check availability and to prevent disappointment
- If you book through 3rd party websites offering tickets to our museum, please note that you still need to contact us directly to check availability.
- Cameras are allowed in the museum. Due to the graphical nature of the displays, the tour is not recommended for children of pre-school age and younger.
| Address | Groote Schuur Hospital, Groote Schuur Dr, Observatory, Cape Town |
| Phone | +27 (0)21 404 1967 |
| Work Hours | Guided tours at 9:00 am, 11:00 am, and 01:00 pm, Mondays to Fridays; Weekend tours on prior request only |
| Closed Days | 25 December, 1 January & Easter Friday |
| Website | http://www.heartofcapetown.co.za |
