Oliewenhuis Art Museum

Oliewenhuis Art Museum is housed in a Neo-Dutch style mansion, completed in 1941, which served as residence for the Governor General of the Union of South Africa.

The building was converted in 1985 into an Art Museum as a satellite of the National Museum , Bloemfontein, an agency of the Department of Arts and Culture.

The Permanent Collection housed at Oliewenhuis is an outstanding collection of South African art, which includes a unique outdoor Sculpture Park and a working African Carousel, for which original sculptures were commissioned. Temporary exhibitions of work by South African artists are regularly exhibited in the Museum galleries and the unique underground Reservoir gallery.

Other highlights include the Blind Alphabet, an artwork created specifically for the visually-impaired, and the functional Cement and Mosaic sculptures situated in the gardens.

Oliewenhuis Art Museum is situated on Grant's Hill within 12 hectares of natural vegetation and offers access to marked walking trails through the natural surrounding areas.

The Sculpture Park

The Sculpture Park, comprising 17 sculptures by various South African sculptors, is the only one of its kind in the Free State and is permanently installed in the garden behind the Museum.
The sculptors represented are: Thomas Kubayi, Liz Ranger, Isolde Krams, Walter Oltmann, Guy Du Toit, Azwifarwi Ragimana, Carol Kühn, Jacques Dhont, John Baloyi, Wilma Cruise and Jacques Fuller.

The African Carousel

The African Carousel is a public sculpture commission comprising 16 original artworks. It is a safe and fully functioning carousel where myth, fantasy and music, derived from many of the cultural traditions of the people of Southern Africa, come together. The focus of the African Carousel is to introduce children to the concept of art in an unintimidating, fun way and in so doing, to build an audience for the future. The original project had its beginnings in 1994 and took approximately three years to complete.
The animal sculptures were created by South African artists Jacques Fuller, Carol Kuhn, Mark Swart, Azwimpheleli Magoro, Keith Ashborn, Rozanne Whitehead, George Ramagaga, Albert Dasheka, Stephen Risi and Elias Ngwenya.

The Cement and Mosaic Project

The Cement and Mosaic Project, comprising five functional sculptures created by 14 unemployed Mangaung residents, is an attraction for both young and old.

Local

Eat and Drink

• Seven on Kellner - Bloemfontein (0.9 miles) - Seven on Kellner is a fine dining restaurant with friendly service, a wide range of wines to choose ...

See and Do

• Oliewenhuis Art Museum Bloemfontein (0.0 miles) - Oliewenhuis Art Museum Oliewenhuis Art Museum is housed in a Neo-Dutch style mansion, completed in 19...