Fish Hoek Museum

About Fish Hoek Museum

The guest houses in Fish Hoek offer charming accommodation just outside Cape Town, and are surrounded by gorgeous beaches, quirky shops, and some great cultural and historical attractions. In fact, it was in this little fishing village that the remains of an ancient human were found, dating back to the Stone Age.

Dubbed 'Fish Hoek Man', the skull found had the largest brain area of any skull of its age (believed to be around 12 000 years old). Today, the site of the skull has been preserved and is known as Peers' Cave, after Victor Peers, who excavated the area and worked as an amateur archaeologist in 1927. Over the years, Peers and his son found even more ancient treasures – including stone tools, rock art left by the indigenous Khoisan people, and a burial site. Thanks to these treasures, Peers' Cave was declared a National Monument in 1941. Today, this is celebrated at the Fish Hoek Valley Museum, where the exhibition includes interpretative displays of these exciting excavations, and of a variety of prehistoric tools and implements.

The whole family will enjoy seeing these important finds. But, for even more fun, arrange a guided walk of the larger Fish Hoek area. This includes visits to the Peers' Cave and De Villiers Graveyard. The guide has keen insights into the area and is knowledgeable about the details; which adds so much to your time in this seaside village. Of course, the breath-taking views don't hurt. These vistas stretch across the peninsula, and include the sparkling waters of the ocean and lush green of the valley. But, Fish Hoek can be forgiven for such shameless boasting because it's just so serene and lovely.

The guide will give visitors a bit of the local history too; which includes a booming whaling trade in the early 19th century and a peek into the ongoing fishing industry. The museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday, but can be opened at other times by prior arrangement. Fish Hoek is about an hour from the city centre of Cape Town.