Staats Museum

The Staats Museum was established by Dr. W.J. Leyds in order to exhibit numerous natural and man-made artifacts. The construction of this plastered brick building was started in 1899 because the then museum building at the Pretoria fresh-produce market (now Sammy Marks Square) became too small. It was designed in an ‘eclectic architectural style’ which was popular in the late 1800’s. Even though the building opened in 1900, it was only completely finished in 1904, due to the Second Anglo-Boer War that interrupted the construction. It is a national monument, but, due to its dilapidated state, not open to the public.

Architect:
Sytze Wopkes Wierda
Sytze Wierda was born in the Netherlands and was renowned as the first Government Architect and Engineer for the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR). Over the fourteen years of working for the government, he and his team developed the Republican Style (also known as Eclectic Wilhelmiens), designing numerous significant buildings. His exact town of birth is disputed and even his architectural education is unclear, though it is known that he was originally schooled to be a carpenter. The suburb Wierdapark, in Centurion, is named after him.

Sources:
artefacts.co.za/building (accessed 20 January 2014).
af.wikipedia.org (accessed 20 January 2014).
able.wiki.up.ac.za (accessed 21 February 2014).