Kruger Museum

The Kruger Museum is an essential stop on Pretoria tours that help travelers learn about local history and politics. Busy travelers often choose half-day tours to cover a shortlist of critical landmarks, while others immerse themselves in full-day tours of Pretoria to have a more thorough exploration of its heritage. Visitors starting from Johannesburg can find tours that include convenient private transport. Alongside the museum, the itinerary often features visits to the Voortrekker Monument and the Union Buildings.

• The museum is wheelchair- and stroller-accessible inside, but be aware that there are a few steps before you enter the building.

• If you walk approximately 10 minutes from the museum along Church Street, you can find a great photo opportunity—the Paul Kruger Statue on Church Square.

• There aren’t any on-site parking spaces available, but plenty of parking spots are nearby, such as the Parkade parking garage on City Place.

• The museum isn’t huge, so you should be able to walk around in 30–60 minutes.

• Wi-Fi is available for visitors, and there’s an on-site vending machine (but no café).

Many travelers choose to come to Pretoria on a day trip from Johannesburg. A guided tour is the easiest option, but you can get the North/South Line Gautrain service to Pretoria. It’s easiest to get a taxi to the museum, which takes about 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can walk to Railway Street & Tulleken Street and get the 7209 (1602T) bus to Kgosi Mampuru Street—the museum is a 2-minute walk from there.

The museum is open every day of the week (except Christmas Day and Good Friday)—usually from the morning until late afternoon—and it closes slightly earlier on weekends. To get the best out of your experience, avoid weekends, which can be busier, and try to come in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the peak afternoon crowds.

Travelers are often drawn to President Kruger’s State Railway Coach, a historical artifact from his official 19th-century tours and campaigns. The museum also houses various personal artifacts, from vintage photographs and sketches to newspapers and medals. Meticulously restored, the building transports visitors back to the 19th century, offering a glimpse of how the president and his family lived.