The Lydenburg Museum, which lies situated at the entrance to the Gustav Klingbeil Nature Reserve, up on the historic Long Tom Pass, is said to be one of the best museums in Mpumalanga. The popular museum focuses on both the history and pre-history of the area, and features a number of various interesting and informative displays which include the regional history from Iron-Age man through to the arrival of the Pedi, the Voortrekkers, the six wars, and more recent events in local history.

A popular feature of the Lydenburg Museum is the exhibition which details the mysterious and famous Lydenburg Heads - seven terra - cotta heads which date back to the Early iron age period of 500AD. Six of the heads resemble those of humans, and the seventh is an animal replica of some sort. The real Heads which were discovered by a farmer's son in the Sterkspruit valley in the 1960's, are not kept at the Lydenburg Museum and are plaster-of-paris replicas. The original Heads are kept at the National Museum (Iziko) in Cape Town.

Other interesting displays at the Lydenburg Museum include a distillery where visitors can sample the potent traditional Afrikaaner brew mampoer, as well as cultural items of the Pedi, Ndebele and Afrikaaner. Lydenburg Museum is open weekdays from 8am to 4pm, and on weekends from 8am to 5pm. For more information call (013) 235-2121or send a fax to (013) 235-1108.