As one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Cape Town, South Africa, is a melting pot of art, culture and history.  This is the mix that makes this city one of the top holiday destinations in the world.

The amount of art exhibitions in Cape Town Central Business District offer more than enough pleasure to keep any avid art lover busy for longer than they may have planned.

In no particular order, here is a list of the top art galleries in Cape Town to visit:

The South African National Gallery

This is South Africa’s premium destination for art lovers looking for the best in art collections that feature works by artists from South Africa, United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Netherlands and other pieces from across the African continent.

This gallery celebrates a diversity of temporary exhibitions that feature paintings, photography, sculpture, beadwork, textiles and works on paper, making it the perfect gallery for a visit that will make for an absorbing experience.

The Goodman Gallery

The Goodman Gallery leads with its focus on contemporary South African art, showcasing work of emerging and established artists from the African continent, as well as with international artists able to express subject matter within the African context.

What if the World Gallery

What if the World is yet another gallery situated in the hub of Woodstock, which is the perfect breeding ground for emerging and established artists. Homed in a decommissioned synagogue in Woodstock, What if the World Gallery is the perfect space in which young contemporary artists move beyond the resistance of the previous generation’s towards change.

This is not just an art gallery, it has also been transformed into a design studio that is the birthplace of every piece of custom made art into the hands of collectors.

The Stevenson Contemporary Art Gallery

The Stevenson Contemporary Art Gallery is tucked away in vibrant, eclectic Woodstock, featuring and showcasing both solo and group exhibitions, intent on giving South African artists the opportunity to showcase their work on the world stage, as well as to bring international artists to South Africa.

34FineArt

The 34FineArt Gallery serves as a perfect juncture between exhibitions that feature a cross-section of both well-known South African artists alongside art produced by emerging, little known artists. The work of prominent international artists also share space with this eclectic mix of art, making it another gallery not to be missed in the Cape Town CBD.

Everard Read

As one of the oldest commercial galleries in South Africa, the Everard Read Gallery in Cape Town finds its home in the bustling V&A Waterfront.  As one of the most important contributors to the cultural energy in Cape Town, fine painting and sculpture is brought together in such harmony that there is something to catch the interest of any collector.

Aside from contemporary works, The Everard Read Gallery presents some of the most renowned South African masters spanning the last century alongside vibrant contemporary works.

Worldart

Tucked away in what was once a busy, congested street in Cape Town, Church St. hosts the Worldart gallery and offers up a collection of art produced by local artists, featuring everything from contemporary urban art to street art.

The art is bright, inspiring and thought-provoking in terms of what emerging South African artists are able to produce for the world stage.  If there is any specific piece a collector is in search of, Worldart will be more than happy to source it.

Gallery MOMO

Since opening its doors in 2003, Gallery MOMO has continued to represent an ever-growing number of both international and South African contemporary artists. The focus of this African art and that which was created out of the diaspora is what draws visitors to this gallery for an inspirational taste of what was, what is and what will be in the birth and growth of the featured artists and their individual art forms.

Art It Is

Presenting works of local painters, printmakers, sculptors and photographers, Art It Is Gallery in Woodstock offers an eclectic mix of art that is presented with a completely fresh approach towards the way that art is viewed, experienced and purchased by collectors.

This is a gallery that exudes the feeling that makes visitors feel right at home in the eye-catching exhibitions of local artists, and is well worth a visit if relaxing is an important component to your art experience.

The Cape Gallery

The Cape Gallery is another gallery nestled in the picturesque, bustling Church Street in Cape Town.  This is one of the oldest galleries in the CBD, featuring a stunning range of paintings that reflect a deep love of the land.  Adding an intrinsically African flavour to the gallery, emerging, vibrant street art has taken its place among the more conservative approach still favoured by clients.

Exploring art galleries in Cape Town is an experience not to be missed! This is a cultural exploration of works that express the history of this city in many different forms, giving beautiful insight into a past, and present, that cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world.

Make sure to tuck into divine food along the way to shore up your strength ahead of your next stop, the atmosphere and energy in coffee shops and restaurants surrounding all these galleries make for an experience that is as unique as the art galleries you visit.