District Six Museum

District Six Museum was built in an old Methodist church in the former inner-city residential area, known as District Six as it was the sixth municipal district in 1867.  It spreads over five interconnected buskdasA foundations was created in 1899, and the museum was opened on 10 December 1994 to serve as a memorial to the forced displacement of 60,000 inhabitants of various races in District Six during the time of Apartheid in the 1970s. 

The museum’s floor is covered with a large map of the district, with handwritten notes from former inhabitants showing where their houses were located. One former resident was the jazz musician, Abdullah Ibrahim (born 1934),  better known as Dollar Brand.  Other pieces on display are old traffic signs, exhibits of historical moments and lives of families from the area, historical declarations, and exhibits about the demolition. 

The museum also offers programmes for current inhabitants to help develop the district.  It is dedicated to the construction of housing, environmental planning, and the organisation of music, literature, and art activities, with active involvement by the public. It’s goal is to unite people into a community where there is respect for dignity, identity and the co-existence of different races.  In 2003 the museum received a Prince Claus award from the Netherlands.