About Sandstone Heritage Museum

The Sandstone Heritage Museum is one of South Africa’s premier living heritage destinations, located on a private working farm near Ficksburg in the Eastern Free State. Nestled between the Maluti Mountains and golden farmlands, Sandstone is not a traditional museum – it is an immersive, functioning collection of restored vehicles, locomotives, and agricultural equipment, all set within an expansive and breathtaking rural estate.

What sets Sandstone apart is its operational focus. Visitors don’t just view history – they ride it. From vintage steam locomotives and ox wagons to World War-era military vehicles and heritage tractors, the museum preserves South Africa’s mechanical past in motion. The working narrow-gauge railway is a highlight, offering scenic trips through the countryside behind steam engines lovingly restored by an in-house team of engineers and volunteers.

In addition to its world-renowned transport collection, Sandstone also champions agricultural heritage with a vast fleet of operational vintage machinery, harvested fields, and livestock. The estate regularly hosts open days, steam festivals, and heritage events that attract enthusiasts from across the globe. Its commitment to conservation is balanced with community impact and tourism, offering unique experiences for families, scholars, veterans, and collectors.

More than a museum, Sandstone is a tribute to craftsmanship, innovation, and resilience. It is a place where heritage is kept alive not in glass cases but on the move – echoing through the whistle of a steam train or the rumble of a Sherman tank crossing a dusty Free State track.