Wales
Cardiff & South Wales Coast

Museums

Big Pit Mining Museum
At Big Pit, Pwll Mawr, Blaenavon. Telephone: 01496-790311.
Oldest surviving coal mine in South Wales with stables, engines, surface workings, blacksmith shop, gallery and exhibitions. Underground trip available. See map

Blaenavon Ironworks Museum
Blaenavon, Torfaen. Tel/fax 01495 792615 Email | Web
The best preserved example of an 18 century ironworks in Western Europe and centre of the Blaenavon World Heritage Site, nominated by UNESCO. Complete with furnaces, cast houses and ironworkers cottages. The Tourist Information Centre is situated at the Ironworks. Guided tours are available. See map

Cosmeston Lakes Country Park & Medieval Village
Penarth South Glamorgan CF65UY Tel: +44 (0)29 2070 1678 Fax: +44 (0)29 2070 8686
Cosmeston recreates the fascinating world of Medieval life. The village, which is built around an authentic 12th century fortified manor, has been made to emulate life in the year 1350. Actors in period costumes tell the tale of daily life long ago, and self-guided audio tours are also available. See map

Drenewydd Museum
Drenewydd Museum, 26-27 Lower Row, Bute Town, Near Rhymney, NP2 5QH. Tel 01685 843039/029 2088 0011 Fax 01443 864228
This small museum occupies two adjoining ironworker's cottages situated in a 19th century "model town". One of the cottages has been fully restored to show what life was like for ironworkers and their families in the 1870s. See map

Llancaiach Fawr Living History Museum
Nelson, Treharris Wales CF46 6ER Tel: +44 (0)1443 412248
Voted Best Family Attraction in Wales, Llancaiach Fawr shows what life was like at the time of the English Civil War (1645). Visitors can dress in period costumes and try out authentic crafts. There is an ongoing program of events aimed at making this troubled time "come alive" for visitors. See map

Museum of Welsh Life
St. Fagan's, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, CF5 6XB. Tel +44 (0)29 20573500
An open air museum set in 100 acres of parkland, boasting a wide variety of authentic folk buildings, including farmhouses, cottages, a Celtic village, and a Tudor manor house. There are displays of traditional crafts and galleries focusing on agriculture and costumes. There are also special seasonal events in May, mid-Summer, Harvest, and Christmas. See map

National Museum of Wales
Cathays Park, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, CF10 3NP Tel: 029 2039 7951 Web site
Galleries of Welsh and European art, including an excellent French Impressionist collection, as well as sculpture and ceramics. Look for the "Evolution of Wales" exhibit, which shows how the geology of Wales developed, and the "Natural History of Wales" section. See map

Old Police Station & Museum
John Street, Porthcawl, Mid Glamorgan CF36 3DT Tel: +44 (0)1656 786 639 or +44 (0)1656 782 211
Now housing the local Tourist Information Centre, this Victorian listed building was a police station from the late 19th century until 1971. The museum traces the history of Porthcawl and area and features a changing exhibition of local art as well as mementoes of WWII. See map

Rhondda Heritage Park
Off the A4058, at Lewis Merthyr Colliery, Trehafod in the Rhondda Valley. Tel. 01443 682036.
Part of the Rhondda Heritage Trail that includes over 20 industrial sites of historical importance to the 19th century coal mining industry. Underground tours, reconstructed village street, exhibitions, visitor centre, restaurant, gift shop. See map

Techniquest
Stuart Street Cardiff CF10 5BW Tel. 029 20 475 475 Fax 029 20 482 517 E-mail Website
A "science discovery centre" full of hands-on exhibits illustrating scientific principles. Explore a Planetarium, Science Laboratory, and hi-tech Theatre. The museum houses an ongoing program of special events and exhibits. See map

Turner House Gallery
Plymouth Road, Penarth, CF64 3DM Tel: +44 (0)29 2070 8870
The Gallery is located 5 miles south of Cardiff city centre, and houses a changing exhibition of fine art from its own collection, as well as travelling exhibitions from around the world. Upcoming exhibitions include a retorospective of the work of Graham Sutherland. See map

Valley Inheritance Museum, The
Park Buildings, Pontypool, South Wales, NP4 6JH Tel:01495 752036 Fax:01495 752043
Housed in a Georgian stables, the museum traces the history of Torfaen with regularly changing exhibits. See map

MUSEUMS IN WALES BY REGION
Anglesey and Snowdonia | North Wales Coast and Borderlands | Mid Wales and Brecon Beacons | Ceredigion | Pembrokeshire | Carmarthenshire | Swansea, Gower and the Vale of Neath | Cardiff, Coast, & Valleys of South Wales | Wye Valley and Vale of Usk

WALES TRAVEL GUIDE
ATTRACTIONS IN WALES BY REGION
Map of Regions
Anglesey and Snowdonia | North Wales Coast and Borderlands | Mid Wales and Brecon Beacons | Ceredigion | Pembrokeshire | Carmarthenshire | Swansea, Gower and the Vale of Neath | Cardiff, Coast, & Valleys of South Wales | Wye Valley and Vale of Usk

ATTRACTIONS IN WALES BY TYPE OF ATTRACTION
Abbeys & Monasteries | Ancient Sites | Castles | Gardens | Historic Churches & Religious Sites | Historic Houses | Museums | Roman Remains

Photo Credits - St Fagan's courtesy of Wales Tourist Board