The memorial commemorates the life of CECIL JOHN RHODES who was a powerful force in the shaping of events in 19th century South Africa. Rudyard Kipling inspired the inscription under the bust of Rhodes, and reads "The immense and brooding spirit still shall quicken and control. Living he was the land, and dead, his soul shall be her soul."

Muizenburg has its origins in the very early days when this coastal strip was first settled by Europeans. One can see many Edwardian and Victorian homes. The Battle of Muizenburg was fought here in 1795 between the British and the Dutch.

Standing out amongst the stately mansions along the main road between St. James and Muizenburg, is the little stone cottage of the ailing Cape premier and tycoon Cecil John Rhodes who died there in 1902. The museum houses many items of his personal memorabilia

Although 'Visch Hoek' appears on the earliest maps of the Cape, it was only laid out as a town in 1918. The uniqueness of Fish Hoek is that it is a "dry" town. The reason for this is that in 1818 when Lord Somerset gave the first grant of crown land in Fish Hoek to Andries Bruyns the deed of grant included a condition that there should be no public wine house on the property because often wagoner's spent the night here on their way to deliver fresh produce to the Royal Navy ships in Simon's Town. Often they would consume so much wine that they were unable to deliver their goods and ships would have to sail without fresh provisions.