The Heritage Museum was established in Amlay House (built in 1858), which belonged to the Amlay family of Simon's Town until they were forcibly removed from the town when it was declared a white group area on 1 September 1967 under the Group Areas Act of the Nationalist Government. The family were removed in 1975 and were the first former residents to return to Simon's Town in 1995.

Amlay House was owned by Councillor D.A. Amlay at the time of the Forced Removals
from Simon's Town in the 1960's. The building now houses the Heritage Museum which
was established by his daughter, Zainab "Patty" Davidson in her old family home.

The formation of the Heritage Museum was initiated by the Noorul Islam Historical Society that comprises of a group of former and present residents of Simon's Town. The museum was created as a reminder of the rich Muslim culture that existed in the town from the establishment of Simon's Town as the official winter anchorage for the Dutch East India Company in 1743 until the Forced Removal of more than 7000 "people of colour" under the Group Areas Act, in 1968.

Roshini Millet, her aunt Zainab "Patty"
Davidson (nee Amlay) the Curator of
the Heritage Museum, Cherry Dilley
the Curator of the Simon's Town
Museum, Janet and Margaret Cartwright
and Irene Toerien (all volunteers at the
Simon's Town Museum) at the opening
of the Heritage Museum on 26 July 1998.

• Displays in the Heritage Museum include: Various artefacts pertaining to Muslim Culture
• Photos from the 1800's to date
• Traditional Bridal Rooms
• Bridal and Hadj Attire
• The Hadj Room
• Handwritten Kitaabs
• A Traditional Celebration Tea Table
• Cooking Utensils
• The Kramats of the Western Cape
• Tracing of Family Roots
• The Forced Removal

Walking Tours Down Memory Lane:

The Mosque Tour
The tour goes to the area around the Noorul Islam Mosque, where Muslims and "people of colour" lived before the Forced Removals under the Group Areas Act.

The Kramat Tour
The tour goes to the Noorul Islam Mosque and the Kramat of two Holy Personages, Imam Lalu Abdul Kadir Jaelani (Dea Kowasa) and his son, Imam Ismail Dea Malela, who were exiled to the Cape of Good Hope by the Dutch East India Company in 1786. Founder member of the Heritage Museum, Ebrahiem Manuel, has traced the relatives of Imam Ismail Dea Malela to the Royal Family of Dea Malela of Indonesia and the links between the family there and in South Africa have been re-established after more than 200 years! Tours take place on Wednesday and Thursday mornings only and start at Amlay House. At the end of each tour, tea and cake is served at Amlay House. A donation of R15 per person is asked.

	Radio 786 brought visitors by train to the opening of the Heritage Museum on 26 July 1998.