We know the Cape is beautiful, we know there is loads to do, indoor and out. Food and wine tend to dominate our time exploring this stunning region, but Cape Town is not just a holiday town, it is a city rich in history, heritage and culture.
From the arrival of the Khoi San to the discovery and colonisation by early European Settlers, and the importing of slaves from the East Indies, to the arrival of the English in the early 1800s - all of this has left us with a multi-cultural metropolis we find ourselves in today.
The Cape's many museums celebrate this diverse and fascinating history of our troubled but interesting past and anyone looking to discover the Cape Town behind the sea and mountains should visit a museum or three.
Iziko South African Museum
A fascinating look at Southern Africa's distant past. Established in 1825, it is the country's second oldest scientific institute. It holds an extensive collection of natural history objects, documenting life in all its forms, both living and extinct.
The planetarium next door to the Iziko SA Museum is a modern gateway to the stars and universe and its realistic "night sky" is a big hit with children and adults, and offers a virtual experience which is both entertaining and educational.
Situated in the Company's Garden at the top of Queen Victoria Street it has long been one of Cape Town's more popular tourist attractions and is regularly visited by school groups and tourist troops. It's open to the public daily from 10am to 5pm except for Christmas Day and Good Friday.
Adults pay R10 to enter and children pay R5. Call 021 481 3800 for information.
District Six Museum
District Six was once a vibrant and diverse community, where artisans and traders mixed with immigrants and labourers.
This cultural hot spot was filled with sound and colour until the apartheid government declared it a white area under the Group Areas Act, and forcibly removed 60 000 residents to the outlying Cape Flats.
Today the museum serves as a memory to those times, both the tragic and the celebratory.
It reminds us what existed and what ceased to exist.
It also educates through its collections, exhibitions and educational programmes.
The museum is located at 25A Buitenkant Street and is open Mondays from 9am to 3pm and Tuesdays to Saturdays from 9am to 4pm. Call 021 466 7200 for more information.
Bo Kaap Museum
Take a stroll through the Bo Kaap, the Muslim Quarter with its brightly painted houses just above the city and you will see a real community.
By "real community", I mean people who live together and share in each others lives.
Neighbours chat across low walls and kids play in the streets. Delicious smells waft out of open doors as worshippers return in traditional dress from evening prayers at the local mosques.
The Iziko Bo-Kaap Museum, established in 1978 is a tribute to this community and its beliefs and culture.
The museum is currently being transformed into a social history museum that will tell the story of this lively community.
The best way to experience this area is by foot and the museum offers walking tours with a local guide for R120 per person. Call 021 481 3939 to book. You'll find it near the top of Wale Street, no 71 and it's open Mondays to Saturdays from 9am to 4pm. Closed on January 2.
South African Jewish Museum
This modern, interactive museum traces the role of the Jewish community in South Africa from its early beginnings to present day. Well-known for its online presentations and international exhibitions, this museum is a hi-tech step back into a fascinating history. It is situated on the Jewish Campus, next to The Gardens Synagogue (the oldest in South Africa) and the Cape Town Holocaust Centre.
There is also a kosher coffee shop with a wide array of gifts to choose from.
You'll find the campus in Hatfield Street, Gardens. It's open Sundays to Thursdays, 10am to 5pm (except Fridays when it closes at 2pm) and it is closed on Jewish holidays. Call 021 465 1546 for information.
Afrikaans Language Museum
Established in 1975, the museum traces the roots and history of the Afrikaans language and people. The house where the museum is situated is where the Society of True Afrikaners was founded.
This society was the first to attempt to have Afrikaans officially recognised as a language.
Located in Pastorie Avenue in Paarl, it's open Mondays to Fridays from 9am to 4pm and on Saturdays from 9am to 1pm. Call 021 872 3441 for details.
Waterworks Museum on Table Mountain
I've included this museum more for its location than its contents. There can't be many mountains with a museum on top, but this one has one.
Situated between the Woodhead and Hely Hutchinson Reservoirs, it pays tribute to the the ingenuity and skill of the engineers who built the five reservoirs at the beginning of the 20th century. This involved building a cable car up Kasteelspoort and then a railway line on top to transport equipment and materials. Its generally closed, but you can peep through the window for a look when you're in the area. To make an appointment to visit the museum, call 021 686 3408.
Groote Schuur Transplant Museum
Chris Barnard performed the world's first heart transplant at Groote Schuur Hospital in 1967. The story is expertly re-enacted in the original suite. Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 2 pm, but today is the last day before it closes for the season. The museum re-opens on January 2. Call 021 404 5232 for more information.
South African Naval Museum
Explore the Cape's naval history in historic Simon's Town in Court Road, West Dockyard. Open daily 9.30am to 3.30pm, but will be closed on Christmas and New Year's day. Call 021 787 4635 for information.