SA Armour Museum

Main Historic Building

The main historical building dates back to 1902-1904 when the British Occupying Forces established a garrison after occupying Bloemfontein on 14 March 1900. The large British garrison, consisting of soldiers and their families, soon required a military hospital, leading to the construction of three large prefabricated wooden and corrugated zinc buildings. Additional administration blocks and nurses' quarters were soon added.

The hospital served during the Second South African War (1899-1902), providing care for women and children who fell ill in the concentration camps located adjacent to the area. The British garrison utilized the complex until 1912/13. After the establishment of the Union Defence Force in 1910, the hospital was designated as a Military Medical Service training facility in 1912 and continued to function as a military hospital until its closure in October 1921.

In 1923, the Bloemfontein City Council purchased the site, repurposing it as an isolation hospital during various epidemics, including the polio outbreaks of 1934 and 1943. During the latter, the hospital received South Africa's first “Iron Lung” machine for treating patients with respiratory conditions.

In 1966, the hospital began to scale down operations and ultimately closed in early 1967. The 2nd Armoured Car Regiment subsequently occupied the buildings, and the site later became part of the School of Armour when the regiment was incorporated. In 1970, the final historical building was integrated into the School of Armour, and in 1985, several other buildings were demolished to make way for modern development.

The historical building was restored in 1995 and declared a National Monument on 5 February 1999. Today, it continues to serve the South African Armour units.