This Knysna Old Gaol guide covers opening hours, entry, parking, transport, accessibility and what to see.
The Old Gaol is a 19th-century former prison in Knysna, South Africa, now run by the Knysna Municipality as part of the wider Knysna Museum. Opening hours and access details were checked on the official website in September 2026, when this guide was last updated.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Mon–Fri 9am–4pm; Sat 9am–12pm; closed Sundays |
| Ticket prices | No fee published; free or donation-based |
| Address | Corner of Queen Street and Main Road, Knysna (opposite St George’s Church and the Royal Hotel) |
| Nearest transport/parking | Central Knysna; walkable from the town centre, with street parking nearby |
| Typical time needed | 45 minutes – 1 hour |
The Old Gaol opening hours
The Old Gaol opens Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm, and Saturday from 9am to 12pm. It is closed on Sundays.
The attached Knysna Art Society gallery, within the same building, keeps its own separate hours around exhibitions, so it’s worth checking local listings if that is a priority.
The Old Gaol ticket prices
There is no set admission charge, though donations to support the municipal museum are welcome.
There is no combined ticket bundling the Old Gaol with other Garden Route attractions.
Opening hours and access details were checked on the official website and last updated in September 2026.
How to get to the Old Gaol
The Old Gaol stands on the corner of Queen Street and Main Road, in central Knysna, opposite St George’s Church and the Royal Hotel.
The building is an easy walk from anywhere in central Knysna, including the Knysna Waterfront. Knysna itself sits on the N2 highway, roughly midway between George and Plettenberg Bay on South Africa’s Garden Route.
Parking at the Old Gaol
The official website does not list a dedicated car park; visitors typically use free on-street parking in the surrounding town-centre streets.
As with much of central Knysna, spaces can be busier around midday and during the December holiday season.
How long to spend at the Old Gaol
Most visitors spend 45 minutes to an hour working through the building’s various small collections.
Combining a visit with the museum’s other buildings, Millwood House, Parkes Shop, Parkes Cottage and the Pitt Street House, a short walk away on Queen and Clyde Streets, makes for a longer half-day of local history.
Accessibility at the Old Gaol
The official website does not publish specific accessibility information for the Old Gaol.
As a 19th-century former prison building, visitors with mobility needs may encounter steps and uneven historic flooring; contacting the museum directly on +27 (0)44 302 6320 ahead of a visit is advisable.
Inside the Old Gaol
Built as Knysna’s first government building, the Old Gaol’s foundation stone was laid on 19 February 1859, and the jail operated from then until the 1980s.
The restored Infirmary, once the prison hospital cell, now holds an exhibition on prison life and the history of South Africa’s prison gangs.
A maritime collection displays artefacts from the Thesen Line’s ships and the history of vessels that once called at the Port of Knysna, alongside a room of historical maps and ship models, including a model of the brig Knysna, the first ship built in the town.
The angling collection traces the history of sea and shore fishing through rods, reels, lures and tackle, and connects to the building’s best-known display: the story of the coelacanth, a fish once thought extinct until Professor JLB Smith identified one in 1938.
A dedicated display covers the story of the Knysna elephants, the small, elusive population still said to survive in the surrounding forests, and portraits of the town’s mayors since 1882 line another room.
The building also houses the Knysna Art Society’s gallery and a community art project.
Practical visitor tips
| Focus | Tip |
|---|---|
| Timing | Visit on a weekday, since Saturday hours end at midday and the site is closed Sundays. |
| Crowds | The Old Gaol is generally quiet; school holidays bring the most visitors. |
| Layout | Displays are spread across several small rooms within the former prison building. |
| Entry process | There is no ticket or gate; visitors can walk in during opening hours. |
| On-site logistics | Combine the visit with the museum’s other four buildings nearby for a fuller local history tour. |
Frequently asked questions about the Old Gaol
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the Old Gaol suitable for children? | Yes, though the prison history displays are more suited to older children. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance? | No. There is no ticketing system; visitors can walk in during opening hours. |
| Is the Old Gaol open on Sundays? | No. It is closed on Sundays, opening Monday to Saturday only. |
| Is there a café at the Old Gaol? | Yes, the Green Chefs Café operates on site. |
| Is the Old Gaol free to visit? | The official site lists no admission fee, though donations are welcome. |
Things to do near the Old Gaol
- Millwood House, Parkes Shop, Parkes Cottage and the Pitt Street House — the rest of the Knysna Museum complex, a short walk away on Queen and Clyde Streets.
- Knysna Waterfront — a shopping and dining precinct on the lagoon, a short walk from the Old Gaol.
- St George’s Church — a historic church directly opposite the Old Gaol.
- Thesen Island — a residential and dining island on the Knysna Lagoon, about a 10-minute drive away.
- Knysna Quays — a marina-side shopping centre a short walk from the town centre.
Alternative attractions
- Bartholomeu Dias Museum Complex, Mossel Bay — about 1 hour away, covering early European exploration of the Cape coast.
- Millwood Goldfields — about 40 minutes away in the Knysna forest, the ruined site of the town’s 1880s gold rush.
- George Museum — about 35 minutes away, with local history and geology displays.
- CP Nel Museum, Oudtshoorn — about 2 hours away, covering the region’s ostrich-feather boom.
- Featherbed Nature Reserve — a nature and heritage site across the Knysna Lagoon, reached by ferry from the Waterfront.
More South Africa travel
Other South Africa travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Kynsna Elephant Park visitor guide: Entry fees and how the elephant encounters work.
- Guides to Cape Town’s Waterfront attractions, including the Two Oceans Aquarium, Nobel Square and the Waterfront Duck.
- Guide to riding the Flying Dutchman Funicular and visiting Dias Beach at Cape Point.
- World of Birds visitor guide: Why this Hout Bay wildlife attraction is more than just an aviary.
- A complete guide to visiting the Drakenstein Lion Park in Paarl.
