The Heart of Cape Town Museum Admission Ticket

4.3 (21 reviews) 1 h 30 min Free cancellation

out of 5

21 reviews

4.3

The Heart of Cape Town Museum Admission Ticket — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Conducting the 1st heart transplant — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Celebrate one of the greatest moments in medical history at the Heart of Cape Town Museum – a museum dedicated to the world’s first successful heart transplant. Visitors experience the drama of that moment in the fully restored, original operating rooms laid out as they were on the day of the operation.

Highlights

Museum dedicated to the world’s first successful heart transplant
Fully restored, original operating rooms laid out as they were on the day of the operation
Trained and certified tour guide

Museum Tickets & Passes Historical Tours Attractions & Museums Museums Excellent Quality Low Supplier Cancellation Rate Low Last Minute Supplier Cancellation Rate Short term availability

At a glance

Duration: 1 h 30 min
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Up to 15 people
People per booking: 1–15
Operated by: SA City Pass

Ages: Infants (0–3 years) · Children (4–17 years) · Adults (18–99 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Guided tour

Not included

Not included: Food and drinks
Not included: Gratuities

Itinerary

Heart of Cape Town Museum

Admission included

Celebrate one of the greatest moments in medical history at the Heart of Cape Town Museum – a museum dedicated to the world’s first successful heart transplant. Visitors experience the drama of that moment in the fully restored, original operating rooms laid out as they were on the day of the operation. The medical museum also includes a timeline of events that led up to the operation and exhibitions on the donor Denise Darvall, and the surgeon Christiaan Barnard. A trained and certified tour guide will describe the electrifying events of the day with the help of silicone models and reenacting important scenes.

History

After being declared braindead, Denise Darvall was brought to Theatre B at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town on 3 December 1967. She was prepared for surgery, and at 03:00 her heart was harvested for transplantation. Professor Christiaan Barnard, assisted by Rodney Hewitson, proceeded to sew the donor heart into the recipients’ chest. The operation lasted four and three quarter hours, and at 06:13, the heart began beating in its new home. The Heart of Cape Town Museum honours the skill and wisdom of the transplant team, the courage of the recipient, the generosity of the donor’s father and the memory of the donor herself.

Did you know

There were several important milestones that led up to the first human heart transplant. The first of these was an operation performed on a dog on 22 July 1958. Norman Shumway and Dick Lower succeeded in bringing a dog’s heart back to life after it had stopped and been stored in saline for one hour. Six days later, Chris Barnard performed his first open heart surgery on 15-year-old Joan Pick.

Advice for visitors

At the time of this surgery, Christiaan Barnard received a lot of criticism, particularly with regard to ethics. At the Heart of Cape Town Museum, the exhibition covers Barnard’s struggle and the ethical backlash and international attention the surgery received. Another fascinating feature to take note of is the recreation of the donor recipient’s recovery. Ask the guides as much as you can about it – they are knowledgeable and some have even worked with Barnard! The tour lasts roughly two hours, and although it is a fantastic learning experience for children, pre-school age children and youngsters are not recommended as guests.

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

Heart of Cape Town Museum Main Road, Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory, 7925, Cape Town Central, South Africa See on map

End point

Heart of Cape Town Museum Main Road, Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory, 7925, Cape Town Central, South Africa See on map

Using your ticket

Tours are at 9am, 11am, 1pm and 3pm. Bookings are essential: Phone: +27 (0)21 404 1967 or [email protected]

Cancellation

Free cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

If you cancel	You get back
At least one day before	100%
Less than a day before	0%

Good to know

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Children must be accompanied by an adult
The tour lasts roughly two hours, and although it is a fantastic learning experience for children, pre-school age children and youngsters are not recommended as guests.
The museum is closed on Public Holidays and Weekends