# Robben Island Museum > Canonical page: https://robbenislandtours.com/robben-island-museum/ Robben Island Museum cares for the island’s historic sites and runs the ferry and visitor service. The visit starts with a crossing from Cape Town, then follows the island’s story through its landscape and former prison. Robben Island visitor guide Robben Island Museum cares for the island’s historic sites and runs the ferry and visitor service. The visit starts with a crossing from Cape Town, then follows the island’s story through its landscape and former prison. This is an affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. 01 ## The museum and its sites Robben Island Museum preserves and interprets the island’s historic places. The former maximum-security prison is central to the apartheid-era story, but the island’s history reaches further back. It has been used for banishment, medical isolation and military purposes at different times. The museum visit brings these periods together through the island’s buildings, landscape and interpretation. Robben Island was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1999. 02 ## A guided visit The ferry leaves from Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V&A Waterfront. On the island, visitors travel between historic sites and join a guided visit to the former prison. The route and stops can vary with operating conditions, so allow flexibility in your plans. Guides help place the buildings in context, including the experiences of the people imprisoned there and the wider struggle against apartheid. Leave time to listen and reflect as you move through the site. 03 ## Tickets and details Your visit includes return ferry trips and a guided visit to the former prison. Before booking, confirm the departure time, ticket inclusions, price and cancellation terms for your date. Before you travel, confirm the departure and check-in times, inclusions and current terms for your date. Robben Island Museum operates the ferry and visitor service. 04 ## Before setting out Allow about four hours for the ferry and island visit. Arrive at the Gateway by the check-in time on your ticket and check your confirmation for arrival instructions. Weather and sea conditions may affect ferry operations, so leave room in your plans afterward. Robben Island is a heritage site with working visitor operations. Stay with the group, follow guidance on where you may go and treat historic places with care. 05 ## Preservation and interpretation Robben Island Museum’s work includes caring for the island’s historic sites and helping visitors understand their meaning. Preservation matters because the buildings and landscape are part of the historical record, while interpretation connects them with the people and events behind that record. Visitors can help by staying on permitted routes and following guidance during the trip. 06 ## Museum visit and ferry journey The visitor experience begins at Nelson Mandela Gateway and crosses Table Bay to the island. Historic places and the former prison are encountered as part of one managed trip, with guides providing context along the way. Before you travel, confirm the departure and check-in times, inclusions and current terms for your date. The museum operates the ferry and visitor service. 07 ## Stories and interpretation The museum visit is not limited to the former prison building. The island’s sites and interpretation help explain a timeline that includes banishment, medical isolation, military use and political imprisonment. The prison remains central because of its role during apartheid and the people who were held there. Rather than rushing from stop to stop, take time to listen to the guide and connect each place with the history being presented. Quick answers ## Common questions ### Who operates the visitor ferry? Robben Island Museum operates the ferry and visitor service. ### Where does the visit begin? The ferry leaves from Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V&A Waterfront and returns there after the island visit. ### What does the visit include? The visit includes return ferry trips and a guided visit to the former prison. Plan your visit ## See Robben Island for yourself Choose a date that fits your plans and get ready for the visit. This is an affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.