The Best Museums To Visit In Wales

TThe UK is open for travel and now is the perfect time for me to recommend the best museums to visit in Wales. As a frequent traveller, I am obviously happy that travel can resume but I am still playing on the cautious side, so I am starting locally then slowly progressing internationally. “Travel is the only thing you spend money on and makes you richer”– this is one of my favourite quotes and it speaks so much volume. This is how I feel about museums, whenever I visit museums, whether free or paid I feel that I become ‘enriched’. Whenever I am planning my trips, my activities itinerary always has museums on them because I love learning about the places I visit.

My story of Wales started many years ago with my first visit being to Aberystwyth, I was intrigued by the pronunciation of Aberystwyth and then it’s incredible coastline which we got a glimpse of it during sunset, and I was hooked. The first museum I visited in Wales was many years later after my visit to Aberystwyth and it was the National Museum Cardiff. Whilst I wouldn’t call myself a history fanatic, I do enjoy historic art galleries it’s like going back in time (the Victorian time – as I have a love for the Victorian era art). I remember thinking everything in the Victorian era felt grand and now whenever I visit art galleries, National Trust Property and museums, I am always looking for the imprint of the Victorian Era on it.

Wales is filled with incredible landscapes, national parks amazing coastlines and beaches. Our last trip to a Welsh city was last year when we got an incredible chance to explore Swansea Bay which I highly recommend. Now, it’s time to head back to Wales and explore more of this incredible country but first, MUSEUMS ARE OPEN and I for one have booked my (free) tickets to visit.

Disclosure: This post was commissioned by National Museum Wales / Amgueddfa Cymru, all opinions are my own.

The Best Museums in Wales

For as long as I can remember, I have loved exploring new places and checking out the history through visiting museums. Museums are where the present can learn from the past and improve for the future. I cannot tell you how many museums I have been to but can at least tell you something about the best museums to visit in Wales. With travel officially back on the cards, I have started to fill up my travel calendar and it slowly but surely feels great to have the ability to plan for travel again. For the month of August, we are heading off to Wales and the first items on the itinerary are the 7 museums that form part of National Museum Wales.

The National Museum Wales is encouraging families to explore the Welsh museums as part of their ‘my story of Wales’ campaign, visitors new and old will be asked to share their stories and experiences of visiting the museums. While the museums are open, it is important to remember to pre-book the free tickets in advance because each museum has its own precautions in place. We are all happy the travel doors are open in turn activities we love can resume and we can promote local tourism but we still need to take special care, so read up on each before visiting, below I will share highlights of each of the museums that make up the National Museum Wales.

National Museum Cardiff

The National Museum Cardiff is a world class art and history museum that houses Wales’s national art, geology and natural history collections. The museum is situated in the centre of Cardiff and was opened to the public in 1922 and today contains one of Europe’s finest art collection. It has been many years since I last visited the museum but I remember being enamelled by everything but more especially the changes to the Welsh Landscapes over the years. The Welsh landscape is one of the most impressive in the UK and to see its transformation (+ preservation) over the years was eye opening. The museum offers free admission but still ensure you pre-book your ticket before your visit. National Museum Cardiff is open for 6 days per week: Tuesday to Sunday. The Museum will also be open on Bank Holiday Mondays.

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St Fagans National Museum of History

St Fagans National Museum of History is an open air museum founded in 1946 and is located in the village of St. Fagans in Cardiff, the museum was opened to the public in 1948. The museum is still one of the most popular attractions in Wales because St Fagans is a people’s museum, where we explore history together through people’s everyday lives. Entry to the museum is free, not only do you get to learn about the history of the people of St Fagans but you get to admire the beautiful and magnificent St Fagans Castle and gardens. The Earl of Plymouth donated the 16th-century manor house to the people of Wales. St Fagans National Museum of History is open every day 10am – 5pm, pre-book your free ticket in advance of your visit.

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National Waterfront Museum

During our last visit to Swansea, we planned to visit both the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery and the National Waterfront Museum, unfortunately, we run out of time as at the time of our visit, Swansea was planning to impose another lockdown (at that time). The National Waterfront Museum tells the story of industry and innovation in Wales, now and over the last 300 years. This cutting edge museum brings you to the forefront of the industrial revolution in Wales and the Made in Wales explores the changes in Wales and displays objects and artefacts from 1930 to the present day. This is one of the museums we have pre-booked to visit soon as we are intrigued by the transport innovations Wales has seen in the last 300 years. The National Waterfront Museum is open everyday but remember to pre-book your free tickets.

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Big Pit National Coal Museum

Located in Blaenavon, Big Pit National Coal Museum is a real coal mine and was opened to the public in 1983 to educate and entertain all ages. With their world-famous underground tour, at the Big Pit you get an opportunity to go 300 feet underground just like a real miner and experience what life must have been like for the many men who worked at the coal mines. The Big Pit National Coal Museum was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 and is an anchor point on the European Route of Industrial Heritage. Big Pit National Coal Museum is open for five days per week – every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Museum will also be open on Bank Holiday Mondays To reduce any risks from COVID-19, we have had to change what we do, and currently the UNDERGROUND TOUR WILL REMAIN CLOSED.

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National Slate Museum

National Slate Museum Llanberis is housed in the Industrial Victorian Workshops that once serviced and maintained the enormous Dinorwig slate quarry above it. Dinorwig Quarry closed in 1969 and the National Slate Museum was opened to the public in 1972, today the museum tells the fascinating story of the Welsh Slate industry. During our visit to Snowdonia a few years back, one of the most recommended museums to use was the National Slate Museum and now that things are back open we can not wait to visit. The National Slate Museum is open everyday between 10am-5pm, you are encouraged to pre-book your free tickets.

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National Wool Museum

Wool was historically the most important and widespread of Wales’s industries it even surpassed the coal industry. The National Wool Museum is located in the picturesque village of Dre-fach Felindre and together form a national heritage site. Shirts, shawls, blankets and bedcovers, woollen stockings and socks were all made at the Cambrian Mills site. I personally have an obsession with learning about wool and can not wait to visit both the mill and the village of Dre-fach Felindre and I think it would make for an incredible weekend getaway within the UK. The National Wool Museum is open for five days per week, Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm. The Museum will also be open on Bank Holiday Mondays.

National Roman Legion Museum

Everyone has heard of the great Roman Empire, we’ve learned about it in schools or during museum visits like the National Roman Legion Museum. The museum in Caerleon which was one of the only three permanent fortresses in Roman Britain and the museum sits in what remains of the fortress. At the museum, you will learn about what made the Romans a formidable force and how life wouldn’t be the same without them. If like me you have a great interest in learning about the Romans then the exhibitions and artefacts displayed that show us how they lived, fought, worshipped and died will be of great interest to you. The National Roman Legion Museum is open for four days per week – every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

As someone with a great interest in museums, I am excited to be able to explore any of these museums that make up the network of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales. If you have visited any of these museums, share in the comments section and tell us what you loved about them.

Please remember – Welsh Government guidelines are different from those in England.