This house was built in 1897 by architect John Edward Harrison and depicts the charming lifestyle of the late 1800s in Bloemfontein. It has been restored and furnished by the National Museum.
National Museum
The National Museum accommodates one of the most extensive collections of fossils and archaeological artefacts in South Africa, for example the Florisbad skull – highly significant to archaeologists who concentrate on the study of pre-historic man. Exhibitions also include a realistically created street scene from the early 1900s.
Queen’s Fort Military Museum
The Old Fort was erected in 1848 and originally housed the Artillery Unit of the Free State. The museum depicts all major military conflicts in the Free State from 1820, as well as the struggle against apartheid.
National Women’s Memorial and Anglo Boer War Museum
This monument, created by Anton van Wouw, is a celebrated piece of South African sculpture. The 36,5m sandstone shrine is impressive in its simplicity and is dedicated to the memory of the women and children who died in the Anglo Boer War (1899-1902). The museum on the same site exhibits an impressive collection of artefacts related to this war.
Choet Visser Rugby Museum
The Rugby Museum houses one of the largest private collections of rugby memorabilia in the world. Contact the Tourist Centre at 051 405 8489 / 90 for contact details to arrange a visit.
Special Service Battalion Museum
This special battalion was established during the Great Depression in the 1930s in order to “save the youth from a loss of self-confidence and the risk of moral and physical degeneration” caused by prolonged unemployment at the time. Articles in this military museum date back to the year 1933.
SA Armour Museum
This museum displays a wide range of armoured military vehicles and artillery. It consists of an indoor and outdoor area and a reference library.
Free State Agricultural Museum
This living agricultural museum depicts daily farming activities and represents various aspects of farming culture to be preserved for future generations.
Fire Station Museum
The largest fire brigade museum in South Africa displays 15 vintage fire engines, fire fighting and ambulance equipment, old photographs and uniforms.
