Robben Island, the unique symbol of “the triumph of the human spirit over adversity, suffering and injustice” with a rich 500 year old multi-layered history, is visited every year by thousands of people eager to understand and honour the important aspects of South Africa’s history that the Island represents.

The tour route includes the graveyard of people who died from leprosy, the Lime Quarry, Robert Sobukwe’s house, the Bluestone quarry, the army and navy bunkers and the Maximum Security Prison where thousands of South Africa’s freedom fighters were incarcerated for years.

Robben Island Museum (RIM) is a public entity responsible for managing, maintaining, presenting, developing and marketing Robben Island as a national estate and World Heritage Site. It was established by the Department of Arts and Culture in 1997.

The Island was used as the Union’s coastal defence as evidenced by the high concentration of WW2 sites. Construction of the first of the Island’s two main gun emplacements was completed in April 1940. This was a 6” calibre gun in the Cornelia Battery which covered the Blouberg Channel.

The last .political prisoners were released from Robben Island in May 1991. Prisoners arriving on the island at Murray's Bay Harbour. Unarmed students march against the armed might of the South African regime and Hector Peterson; the first casualty of the Soweto uprising.

Sign in to Robben Island Museum. Remember Me. Sign in. Lost Your Password? Create Account. ... Wed Thu Fri. 20/14°C 22/14°C 27/15°C. Weather forecast Cape Town, South Africa Tours. South Africans R400 per adult R210 per child (U/18) Non South Africans R600 per adult

Here you will find general information about visiting Robben Island and the Nelson Mandela Gateway.

Banishment and imprisonment on Robben Island was used more as a means of punishment rather than as a ‘rehabilitative’ tool. Most of the people sent to the Island had at some point, over the past 500 years, opposed colonial and apartheid rule in South Africa.

The Landing of Jan van Riebeeck (1619-77),the Dutch in Cape Of Good Hope,South Africa in 6th April 1652 . The Khoikhoi in the painting were the first Africans to meet them.

Conditions regressed again under Colonel Badenhorst, a commanding officer in charge of the Island between 1970 and 1972. The general and single cell sections of the Maximum Security Prison were designed to separate prisoners and prevent contact between them.