Robben Island Museum has secured R8.3m in international funding aimed at strengthening its exhibitions, preserving and digitising historical archives and expanding cultural exchange, marking a significant new chapter for one of South Africa’s most iconic heritage sites.
On Tuesday, the museum formalised a three-year strategic partnership with Paris Musées, supported by the French development agency Agence Française de Développement (AFD). The agreement brings French technical, scientific and strategic expertise to Robben Island Museum, the former prison-turned-museum inaugurated by Nelson Mandela as the country’s first post-apartheid museum.
Now recognised as a Unesco World Heritage Site, Robben Island welcomes more than 250,000 visitors annually and remains one of Cape Town’s top tourist attractions.
Acting chief heritage officer Ayanda Woji said the partnership represents a transformative step for the institution.
“The AFD and Paris Musées partnership will support the diversification of our offerings, attract both new and repeat visitors, and deliver a transformative experience,” she said.
Woji said the funding would enhance the museum’s museography, strengthen the preservation and digitisation of its historical archives, and improve its operational and financial sustainability.
“It signals a new chapter in our journey, positioning the museum to engage broader audiences and preserve our national memory for future generations,” she said.
From diagnosis to redesign
The collaboration follows a technical diagnostic conducted in January 2026 by experts from Paris Musées in consultation with all Robben Island Museum departments.
The next phase of the project will focus on:
- redesigning the museum’s exhibition and museography offering;
- enhancing and digitising its historical archives;
- strengthening a sustainable economic model aligned with the museum’s long-term ambitions.
The partnership also includes skills transfer and capacity building for museum staff to ensure the delivery of innovative, high-quality visitor experiences.
“This will not only benefit staff but the country as a whole through increased tourism, job creation and socioeconomic development linked to Robben Island Museum,” Woji said. “The partnership supports social cohesion and nation-building by enhancing access to our shared history. It also sets a benchmark for international cultural collaboration.”
Building on earlier co-operation
The new agreement builds on a three-year technical partnership launched in 2022 between Robben Island Museum and France’s National Audiovisual Institute. That initiative focused on the Mayibuye Archives, supporting the digitisation and promotion of archival collections for educational, scientific and heritage purposes.
The Paris Musées partnership marks the next phase in ensuring that the memory of South Africa’s liberation struggle continues to resonate with both local and global audiences.
By joining forces, we aim to foster a vibrant cultural dialogue that transcends borders and preserves our shared history for future generations.
— Anne-Sophie de Gasquet, Paris Musées CEO
Paris Musées CEO Anne-Sophie de Gasquet said the collaboration presents a unique opportunity to connect French museum expertise with South Africa’s powerful legacy of resilience.
“By joining forces, we aim to foster a vibrant cultural dialogue that transcends borders and preserves our shared history for future generations,” she said.
Marie-Hélène Loison, AFD’s Southern Africa regional director, said the initiative aligns with the agency’s mandate to promote social cohesion and local economic development.
“We are proud to support this partnership between a world-class French institution and Robben Island Museum, to promote the site and reinforce its contribution to memory transmission and the forging of a common history and diverse culture in South Africa,” she said.
Woji said collaborating with the French institutions would empower the museum to reach new generations while continuing to share its enduring message: the triumph of the human spirit over adversity.
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