This list of museums in Wales contains museums which are defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organisations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing. Also included are non-profit art galleries and university art galleries.
Museums that exist only in cyberspace (i.e. virtual museums) are not included. Those marked 'NMW' are part of the network of National Museum Wales.
Name | Town/City | Principal area | Region | Type | Summary |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Historic house | Medieval castle | ||||
Beaumaris Courthouse | Beaumaris | Anglesey | North Wales | Law enforcement | website, also known as Llys Biwmares Beaumaris Court, dates to 1614 |
Beaumaris | Anglesey | North Wales | Prison | 19th-century prison | |
Canolfan Ucheldre Centre | Anglesey | North Wales | Art | website, community arts centre with exhibit gallery for contemporary art and craft | |
Copper Kingdom Centre | Anglesey | North Wales | Local | website, local history, copper and shipbuilding industry | |
Haulfre Stables | Beaumaris | Anglesey | North Wales | Transport | Open by appointment only, Victorian harness and saddlery, carts and carriages[1] |
Holyhead | Anglesey | North Wales | Maritime | Located in an 1858 lifeboat station, maritime and social history | |
Holyhead | Anglesey | North Wales | Mill | 18th-century windmill | |
Anglesey | North Wales | Technology | website, history and construction of the Menai Suspension Bridge and the Britannia Bridge | ||
Moelfre Seawatch Centre | Anglesey | North Wales | Maritime | Also known as RNLI Gwylfan Seawatch Centre, includes a lifeboat, maritime artifacts, marine life and environment[2] [3] | |
Anglesey | North Wales | Multiple | Art, culture, social history of Anglesey | ||
Penmaenmawr Museum | North Wales | Local | website, local history museum and community archive for Penmaenmawr | ||
Anglesey | North Wales | Historic house | Operated by the National Trust, 18th-century house with 1930s interior, military museum of the 1st Marquess of Anglesey, garden, arboretum | ||
Anglesey | North Wales | Maritime | Historic lighthouse, engine room and exhibits | ||
Stone Science | Anglesey | North Wales | Natural history | Dinosaurs, fossils, rocks, minerals[4] | |
Swtan Heritage Museum | Anglesey | North Wales | Historic house | website, 16th-century Welsh cottage with a thatched roof, early 20th-century interior, exhibits of art and rural life | |
Tacla Taid | Rhydwyn | Anglesey | North Wales | Transport | website, also known as Anglesey Transport and Agriculture Museum, cars, motorbikes, commercial and farm vehicles and static engines |
Abertillery & District Museum | Multiple | website, local history, period room and farm displays, mining, culture, Roman artifacts | |||
Blaenau Gwent | South Wales | Historic house | Early 19th-century ironmaster's residence and gardens | ||
Blaina Heritage Action Group Museum | Tredegar | Blaenau Gwent | South Wales | Local | website, local history |
Brynmawr & District Museum | Blaenau Gwent | South Wales | Local | website, local history, Brynmawr Furniture pieces made during the Brynmawr Experiment | |
Tredegar Local History Museum | Tredegar | Blaenau Gwent | South Wales | Local | Located in the town library, local history, industry[5] |
Cefn Junction Signal Box | South Wales | Local | website, located in a 1898 signal box, local history with an emphasis on rail and coal mining heritage, | ||
Porthcawl Museum | South Wales | Local | website, local history | ||
St John's House | South Wales | Local | website, local history | ||
South Wales | Historic house | Medieval castle, replica siege engines, exhibits on other castles in Wales | |||
Caerphilly | South Wales | Living | 1645 period home, at the height of the English Civil War when King Charles I of England visited the house to persuade its owner not to change his allegiance | ||
Winding House | New Tredegar | Caerphilly | South Wales | Local | website, local history, coal mining, winding engine |
South Wales | Multiple | Local history, culture, art | |||
Cardiff | Cardiff | South Wales | Local | Includes exhibits of local history, culture, located in the Wales Millennium Centre | |
Cardiff | Cardiff | South Wales | Historic house | Medieval castle and Victorian architecture Gothic revival mansion | |
Cardiff | Cardiff | South Wales | Local | City's history, culture | |
Cardiff | South Wales | Historic house | Operated by Cadw, late 19th-century "fairy-tale" Victorian Gothic castle with lavish furnishings | ||
Cardiff | South Wales | Art | Arts centre for international art, performance and film | ||
Cardiff | Cardiff | South Wales | Art | Contemporary crafts gallery of the Makers Guild in Wales | |
Cardiff | Cardiff | South Wales | Media | Artifacts from the Doctor Who television series | |
Cardiff | Cardiff | South Wales | Military | Located at Cardiff Castle, history of the Welch Regiment | |
Cardiff | South Wales | Art | Arts centre with exhibit gallery | ||
Cardiff | South Wales | Historic house | Victorian mansion | ||
Cardiff | Cardiff | South Wales | Multiple | (NMW) Art, archaeology, natural history, dinosaurs, geology, decorative arts | |
Cardiff | Cardiff | South Wales | Art | Arts centre with gallery | |
Cardiff | Cardiff | South Wales | History | Late 19th-century building with Welsh history exhibits | |
Cardiff | South Wales | Open air | (NMW) Over forty buildings including a Celtic village, Elizabethan manor house, chapel, medieval church, schoolhouse, tollbooth, farm, | ||
Cardiff | Cardiff | South Wales | Science | Hands-on science exhibits | |
Cardiff | Cardiff | South Wales | Photography | Photography gallery of national and international contemporary photography | |
Cardiff | Cardiff | South Wales | Art | Performing arts centre with exhibit gallery | |
Bro Aman Heritage Room | South Wales | Local history | Located in the Ammanford Town Library[6] | ||
Carmarthenshire | South Wales | Multiple | Local history, culture, art gallery, furniture, decorative arts, 19th-century schoolroom, the inside of a Carmarthenshire farmhouse a clogmaker's workshop | ||
Carmarthenshire | South Wales | Mining | Operated by the National Trust, Roman surface and deep gold mines | ||
Carmarthenshire | South Wales | Historic house | Final home of poet Dylan Thomas | ||
Carmarthenshire | South Wales | Industry | Tinplate industry buildings and equipment | ||
Carmarthenshire | South Wales | Automotive | Use of Pendine Sands for land speed record attempts | ||
Carmarthenshire | South Wales | Maritime | Collection of coracles | ||
Carmarthenshire | South Wales | Industry | (NMW) Woolen mill, textiles gallery | ||
Carmarthenshire | South Wales | Historic house | Operated by the National Trust, 1912 period house in extensive park, nearby Dinefwr Castle ruins | ||
Oriel Myrddin Gallery | Carmarthen | Carmarthenshire | South Wales | Art | website, contemporary art gallery |
Carmarthenshire | South Wales | Multiple | Local pottery, art, decorative arts, local history | ||
Carmarthenshire | South Wales | Toy | Toys, dolls, model trains, model cars, teddy bears, toy soldiers, tin toys, costumes, pinball machines, games, period schoolroom, household items | ||
Mid Wales | Art | Part of Aberystwyth University, features exhibit galleries for art, ceramics | |||
Aberystwyth | Ceredigion | Mid Wales | Local | Local history, archaeology, natural history, Welsh furniture, costumes, farming and agriculture items | |
Tanygroes | Ceredigion | Mid Wales | Technology | Internal combustion and steam engines | |
Lampeter | Ceredigion | Mid Wales | Local | Local history exhibits in the town library | |
Ceredigion | Mid Wales | Historic house | Operated by the National Trust, 18th-century Welsh minor gentry estate with dairy, laundry, brewery, salting house, walled kitchen gardens, organic farm | ||
Llanon Cottage | Ceredigion | Mid Wales | Historic house | website, Tudor cottage with original straw rope underthatch | |
Llywernog Silver-Lead Mine | Ceredigion | Mid Wales | Mining | website, 18th-century silver mine, buildings, equipment, tramways | |
New Quay Heritage Centre | Ceredigion | Mid Wales | Local | website, local history exhibits | |
Aberystwyth | Ceredigion | Mid Wales | Art | website, fine art, photography, prints and drawings, crafts and decorative art | |
Ceredigion | Mid Wales | Archaeology | Remains of a medieval Cistercian abbey | ||
Tregaron Kite Centre and Museum | Ceredigion | Mid Wales | Natural history | website, kites and other area birds, Tregaron Bog, local history, Victorian schoolroom | |
Welsh Quilt Centre | Ceredigion | Mid Wales | Art | website, quilts and textile exhibits | |
Historic house | website, operated by the National Trust, medieval merchant's house with rooms from different periods | ||||
Conwy | Conwy | North Wales | Historic house | Medieval castle | |
Conwy Mussel Museum | Conwy | Conwy | North Wales | Maritime | website, pearl fishing |
Conwy | Conwy | North Wales | Technology | Operated by the National Trust, 1826 version of the Menai Suspension Bridge, now a footbridge, 1890s period toll house | |
Conwy | North Wales | Railway | Railway equipment, miniature and model railways, memorabilia | ||
Home Front Experience | Llandudno | Conwy | North Wales | Living | website, life in Britain during World War II |
Llandudno Museum | Conwy | North Wales | Local | website, local history, culture, copper mining, Welsh kitchen, art | |
Llandudno | Conwy | North Wales | Art | Contemporary art gallery | |
New York Cottages | Conwy | North Wales | Historic house | website, 1840s house for local quarry workers, local history, industry | |
Conwy | Conwy | North Wales | Historic house | 16th-century Elizabethan town house | |
Conwy | Conwy | North Wales | Art | Hosts 8-10 exhibits a year | |
Sir Henry Jones Museum | Conwy | North Wales | Historic house | website, Victorian childhood home of philosopher and academic Sir Henry Jones | |
Conwy | Conwy | North Wales | Historic house | 16th-century house measuring 3.05 metre by 1.8 metre (10 feet by 6 feet) | |
Conwy | North Wales | Historic house | Operated by the National Trust, 16th-century stone-built upland farmhouse, birthplace of Bishop William Morgan, the first translator of the Bible into Welsh, collection of bibles | ||
North Wales | Multiple | Historic house with Victorian period rooms, art exhibits from the National Portrait Gallery, gardens, parkland | |||
Denbighshire | North Wales | Automobile | Cars, motorcycles, memorabilia and artifacts | ||
Llangollen Museum | Llangollen | Denbighshire | North Wales | Local | website, local history, culture |
Denbighshire | North Wales | Historic house | 15th-century timbered house with rooms from different periods up to the 1940s | ||
Llangollen | Denbighshire | North Wales | Historic house | Late 18th-century Gothic cottage house | |
Denbighshire | North Wales | Railway | Miniature railway and museum | ||
Rhyl Museum | Rhyl | Denbighshire | North Wales | Local | website, local history, culture |
Denbighshire | North Wales | Prison | 19th-century Victorian prison dating back to the 17th century | ||
Ruthin | Denbighshire | North Wales | Art | Contemporary crafts centre with exhibit galleries, artist studios, retail gallery, education and residency workshops | |
Wireless in Wales Museum | Denbighshire | North Wales | Wireless radio | website, collection of radios and information, displaying some very early and rare sets dating from the 1920s to the 1960s | |
North Wales | Industry | Open air park with a farm museum, former factories for making cotton, brass items, copper sheets, wire | |||
Mold Library, Museum and Gallery | Flintshire | North Wales | Local | website, local history, author Daniel Owen | |
Holywell | Flintshire | North Wales | Religious | Shrine with museum about its history | |
Bocs | Gwynedd | North Wales | Art | website, Creative Industries Centre for young artists, art gallery | |
Cae'r Gors | North Wales | Literature | website, restored birthplace of author Kate Roberts | ||
Caernarfon Airworld Museum | Caernarfon | Gwynedd | North Wales | Aviation | website, collection of retired aircraft, history of mountain rescue, located at Caernarfon Airport, the airfield of the former RAF Llandwrog |
Caernarfon | Gwynedd | North Wales | Historic house | Medieval fortress castle, site of investiture of the Prince of Wales, houses the Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum | |
Lasynys Fawr | Gwynedd | North Wales | Historical house | website, restored 15th-century home of poet Ellis Wynne | |
Gwynedd | North Wales | Mining | Slate mine quarry and tram | ||
Gwynedd | North Wales | Historic house | Late 19th-century boyhood home of British Prime Minister David Lloyd George | ||
Gwynedd | North Wales | Railway | Locomotives and artifacts from over 80 British narrow gauge railways | ||
Gwynedd | North Wales | Industry | (NMW) Formerly the Welsh Slate Museum, former slate quarry | ||
Oriel Pendeitsh | Caernarfon | Gwynedd | North Wales | Art | website, exhibition space |
Oriel Plas Glyn-y-Weddw | Gwynedd | North Wales | Art | website, art gallery | |
Gwynedd | North Wales | Historic house | 19th-century fantasy castle, operated by the National Trust | ||
Llandygai | Gwynedd | North Wales | Railway | Industrial railway locomotives | |
Porthmadog Maritime Museum | Gwynedd | North Wales | Maritime | website, schooners built in the town and the men who sailed in them | |
Quaker Heritage Centre | Gwynedd | North Wales | Religious | History of the local Quaker community that later emigrated to Pennsylvania[7] | |
Caernarfon | Gwynedd | North Wales | Military | Located at Caernarfon Castle, regimental uniforms, weapons, memorabilia | |
Caernarfon | Gwynedd | North Wales | Archaeology | Excavated Roman fort and visitor center with artifacts | |
Gwynedd | North Wales | Mining | Underground tours of the Victorian copper mine | ||
Storiel | Gwynedd | North Wales | Multiple | website, local history, art, culture, Welsh furniture, costumes, archaeology, formerly the Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery | |
Gwynedd | North Wales | Music | National centre for Welsh folk music | ||
Merthyr Tydfil | South Wales | Multiple | Local and social history, art, decorative arts | ||
Merthyr Tydfil | Merthyr Tydfil | South Wales | Historic house | website, 1840s period ironworker's cottage, birthplace of composer Joseph Parry | |
South Wales | Local | Local history, culture, period saddlers shop, Victorian farmhouse kitchen, 1930s grocery shop, changing exhibits of art, history, culture | |||
Monmouthshire | South Wales | Historic house | Medieval castle with Victorian furnishings, local history artifacts | ||
Monmouthshire | South Wales | Local | Local history | ||
Monmouthshire | South Wales | Biographical | Includes the former Nelson Museum about Admiral Horatio Nelson, local history, | ||
Monmouth | Monmouthshire | South Wales | Military | History of the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers | |
Monmouthshire | South Wales | Religious | Exhibits in the tithe barn about the priory, 24 foot tapestry of town history | ||
Usk Rural Life Museum | Monmouthshire | South Wales | Agriculture | website, farm tools, equipment, scale model horse-drawn vehicles, corn dollies, period household and trade displays | |
South Wales | Mining | Former coal mine with buildings, equipment, tram | |||
Neath Port Talbot | South Wales | Religious | Operated by Cadw, inscribed pre- Romanesque, Roman and Celtic stones and crosses | ||
Neath Port Talbot | South Wales | Mining | Former coal mine with buildings, equipment, miner's cottage, stable, blacksmith | ||
Welsh Museum of Fire | Neath Port Talbot | South Wales | Firefighting | website, fire engines, equipment, memorabilia, open by appointment | |
South Wales | Transport | Heritage of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal | |||
Newport | South Wales | Archaeology | (NMW) Artifacts and excavations from the Roman legion fortress and settlement and other Roman sites in Wales | ||
Caerleon | Newport | South Wales | Archaeology | Artifacts and excavations from the Roman legion fortress and settlement, operated by Cadw | |
Newport | Newport | South Wales | Multiple | Local history, art gallery, local Roman history and archaeology, natural history, social history, industry | |
Newport | Newport | South Wales | Maritime | 15th-century sailing vessel undergoing restoration, viewed on open days | |
Newport | Newport | South Wales | Transport | History and construction of the bridge and other transporter bridges | |
Newport | Newport | South Wales | Art | Arts centre with gallery | |
Newport | Newport | South Wales | Historic house | 17th-century Charles II country house mansion, operated by the National Trust | |
Pembrokeshire | South Wales | Multiple | Medieval castle remains and 19th-century tidal grinding mill | ||
Carew Cheriton Control Tower | Carew | Pembrokeshire | South Wales | Military | History of RAF Carew Cheriton including the World War II RAF control tower (Watch Office), Avro Anson aircraft and air raid shelter[8] |
Pembrokeshire | South Wales | Open air | Reconstructed Iron Age fort | ||
Fleets to Flying Boat Centre | Pembrokeshire | South Wales | Multiple | website, Sunderland flying boats, area WWII history | |
Pembrokeshire | South Wales | Local | Local history, industry, artifacts from Haverfordwest Castle | ||
Pembrokeshire | South Wales | Local | Local history, maritime history, industries, railroads | ||
Narberth Museum | Narberth | Pembrokeshire | South Wales | Local | website, local history, culture |
Oriel y Parc | Pembrokeshire | South Wales | Art | website, art gallery, focus is the landscapes of Pembrokeshire, houses the visitor centre for the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park | |
Pembrock Dock Heritage Centre | Pembrokeshire | South Wales | Multiple | website, located in a Martello tower, local history, military and maritime history | |
Simpson Cross | Pembrokeshire | South Wales | Automobile | Vintage cars, currently closed | |
Pembrokeshire | South Wales | Historic house | Open by appointment, tiny early 19th-century cottage | ||
Pembrokeshire | South Wales | Historic house | Medieval castle, art gallery, gardens | ||
Haverfordwest | Pembrokeshire | South Wales | Multiple | Victorian manor house with period rooms, exhibits on local history, agriculture, rural life, railways, industry, science | |
Narberth | Pembrokeshire | South Wales | Science | ||
Pembrokeshire | South Wales | Multiple | Local history, art, natural history, geology, archaeology, maritime heritage | ||
Tenby | Pembrokeshire | South Wales | Historic house | Operated by the National Trust, late 15th-century Tudor period house | |
Powys | Mid Wales | Historic house | 19th-century neo-Elizabethan country house, gardens | ||
Andrew Logan Museum of Sculpture | Powys | Mid Wales | Art | website, works by Andrew Logan | |
Powys | Mid Wales | Religious | Located in a 17th-century tithe barn, history of the cathedral | ||
Powys | Mid Wales | Science | Exhibits about alternative technologies, sustainable living, the environment | ||
Powys | Mid Wales | Religious | Life of 18th-century Methodist leader Howell Harris, known as Trefeca | ||
Powys | Mid Wales | Historic house | website, 1870s period house with restored judge's apartments, servants’ quarters and courtroom | ||
Llanidloes Museum | Powys | Mid Wales | Local | website, local history, industry, Victorian period rooms, natural history | |
Mid Wales Arts Centre | Powys | Mid Wales | Art | website, includes collection of works by Stefan Knapp | |
Minerva Arts Centre | Llanidloes | Powys | Mid Wales | Art | website, exhibits of quilts and textiles by the Quilt Association |
Powys | Mid Wales | Art | Contemporary art exhibits | ||
Powys | Mid Wales | Transport | Features over 260 bicycles | ||
Newtown Textile Museum | Powys | Mid Wales | Industry | website, typical early 19th-century hand weaving shop, open on special occasions | |
Powys | Mid Wales | Local history | Housed in a 16th-century inn | ||
Oriel Davies Gallery | Newtown | Powys | Mid Wales | Art | website, contemporary art and craft |
Powys | Mid Wales | Biographical | History of Owain Glyndŵr, 14th-century Welsh ruler and the last native Welsh person to hold the title Prince of Wales | ||
Powys | Mid Wales | Historic house | Operated by the National Trust, castle with paintings, sculpture, furniture, tapestries, museum of 18th-century artifacts from India, gardens | ||
Powysland Museum | Welshpool | Powys | Mid Wales | Local | website, local history, culture, farming, archaeology, military |
Radnorshire Museum | Powys | Mid Wales | Local | website, local history, archaeology, natural history including fossils, social history of the former county of Radnorshire | |
Rhayader Museum & Gallery | Powys | Mid Wales | Local | website | |
Robert Owen Museum | Newtown | Powys | Mid Wales | Biographical | website, social reformer Robert Owen |
Powys | Mid Wales | Military | Uniforms, weapons, medal and artifacts of the South Wales Borderers (24th Foot) and the Welch Regiment (41st/69th Foot) | ||
Thomas Shop Museum | Powys | Mid Wales | History | website, 1805 period general store | |
Powys | Mid Wales | Historic house | Medieval unfurnished fortified manor house | ||
W H Smith Museum | Powys | Mid Wales | History | Original location of the W H Smith chain of booksellers, period shop[9] | |
South Wales | Industry | History of Nantgarw Pottery | |||
Rhondda Cynon Taf | South Wales | Mining | Former coal mine | ||
1940s Swansea Bay | South Wales | Military | website, military and civilian homefront life in Swansea during World War II | ||
Swansea | Swansea | South Wales | Biographical | Exhibits on author Dylan Thomas | |
Swansea | Swansea | South Wales | Archaeology | Part of Swansea University, Ancient Egyptian artifacts[10] | |
Swansea | South Wales | Open air | Includes 12th-century water powered corn and saw mill, restored woolen mill, outdoor exhibits of antique farming and cultivation, blacksmith, potter, farm | ||
Swansea | Swansea | South Wales | Art | Includes work by Old Masters, contemporary art, porcelain, Swansea china | |
Swansea | Swansea | South Wales | Art | Exhibitions of visual arts, applied arts and craft | |
Swansea | Swansea | South Wales | Multiple | (NMW) Welsh industrial and maritime heritage, social history, technology, science | |
Swansea | Swansea | South Wales | Multiple | Three main locations with exhibits on city history and culture, boats and maritime artifacts, street trams and memorabilia | |
Swansea | Swansea | South Wales | Art | Part of Swansea University, includes Oriel Ceri Richards Gallery | |
South Wales | Industry | (NMW), former coal mine, underground tour, equipment, buildings | |||
Blaenafon | Torfaen | South Wales | Industry | Former iron works, remains of five early blast furnaces, restored late 18th-century workers' housing at Stack Square | |
Torfaen | South Wales | Art | Exhibitions of applied and visual art | ||
Torfaen | South Wales | Local | Local history, art, domestic life, culture, Japanware and decorative arts | ||
Art Central | South Wales | Art | website, community art gallery in the old town hall | ||
Vale of Glamorgan | South Wales | Living | Recreated 14th-century peasant village | ||
Cowbridge Museum | Vale of Glamorgan | South Wales | Prison | information, located in Cowbridge Town Hall, early 19th-century prison, town hall and museum of local history | |
Vale of Glamorgan | South Wales | Historic house | Medieval castle home and gardens | ||
Vale of Glamorgan | South Wales | Maritime | Lighthouse tours | ||
Oriel Washington Gallery | Vale of Glamorgan | South Wales | Art | website, contemporary art gallery | |
Vale of Glamorgan | South Wales | Art | Hosts exhibits of art, photography and crafts | ||
Vale of Glamorgan | South Wales | Art | Exhibition space for Ffotogallery, the national photography development agency for Wales, exhibits of photography, video, digital media | ||
Bersham Colliery Mining Museum | North Wales | Industry | website, former coalfield with headgear, equipment, miner family life | ||
Bersham | Wrexham | North Wales | Historic house | Operated by the National Trust, medieval fortress with state rooms, towers and dungeons, gardens | |
Wrexham | North Wales | Historic house | Operated by the National Trust, early 18th-century country house reflecting the upstairs downstairs life of a gentry family over 250 years, outbuildings, garden, landscape park | ||
Wrexham | North Wales | Industry | Former lead mine, equipment, miner family life | ||
Wrexham | Wrexham | North Wales | Natural history | Located in a former corn mill in Nant Mill Country Park | |
Wrexham | North Wales | Art | website, formerly the Wrexham Arts Centre and Oriel Wrecsam | ||
Wrexham | Wrexham | North Wales | Science | website, hands-on science exhibits, run by North Wales Science (formerly operated Techniquest Glyndŵr) | |
Wrexham | Wrexham | North Wales | Local | website, local history, culture | |
Powys | Mid Wales | Multiple | Local history, culture, archaeology, rural life, art gallery | ||