The best museums Wales

Andrew Logan's sculptures live, sing, dance and shine. Andrew Logan, who lives in London, draws inspiration from his travels around the world to compose his very eccentric works, which one does not expect to see in this small village. His famous jewellery (worn in the American Sex in the City series) can be purchased in the museum shop. During the summer, workshops for adults and children: creation of jewellery, stickers, T-shirts..

Overlooking the beach, this former restaurant has been a museum since 1995. It shows models of ships and photographs relating to the city's maritime past. In particular, about the 1,000 or so shipwrecks that have occurred in the surrounding area. The museum also retraces, through panels and artefacts, the history of the site since its occupation by the Romans. It has also taken advantage of its location, ideal for creating a pleasant terrace from which one can contemplate the sea while having a drink on a sunny day.

The National Museum of the Roman Legion is located inside the remains of the fortress, built in 75 AD and which protected the region for more than 200 years. Caerleon was then known as "Isca". We discover the history of the powerful Roman Empire through reconstructions and the exhibition of objects resulting from archaeological excavations, bringing together weapons and domestic objects. An interesting and free visit!

With a wealth of permanent collections dedicated to fine arts, contemporary art and decorative arts, the Cardiff National Museum also offers the opportunity to explore the country through its natural history. The visit is a real delight for young and old alike. And free admission is a good argument for wasting a few hours, especially if the weather is rainy.

National Museum of Natural History. On the ground floor is a spectacular botanical, zoological and geological department. Reconstituted natural landscapes, stuffed animals, herbaria and interactive maps show the genesis of the Welsh landscape. The huge skeleton of a humpback whale and the world's largest leatherback turtle will impress the whole family.

National Museum of Art. On the ^first floor, the National Museum of Cardiff also stands out for its very rich collection of works of art from all over the world. The Italian school is well represented, with Botticelli or Tiepolo. Then came Richard Wilson, Thomas Jones and Sir William Goscombe John for the local stamp. Finally, an interesting impressionist collection: Landscape in Auvers under the rain of Van Gogh, painted a few weeks before his death, Cézanne, Les Parisiennes de Renoir, Pissaro, Sisley or even Boudin, Braque, Derain, Vlaminck, Max Ernst and Magritte testify to the eclecticism of the Conservatives' good taste.

The sculpture section is not to be outdone since a copy of Rodin's Baiser and some of the sculptor's originals are on display.

For train enthusiasts and novices alike, a highly accessible and interactive museum that's sure to delight everyone. Inside, you'll find an exhibition room with photos and models of historic trains, while outside you'll find vintage locomotives that you can visit, and a miniature train on which you can take a ten-minute ride through the surrounding countryside. Finally, there's a comprehensive specialist store to round off your trip.

In a former 17th century mill, in the heart of beautiful nature, National Coracle Museum is a museum is dedicated to the coracle. A coracle is a somewhat primitive boat from the era still used in some parts of the world. It is a kind of round boat like a half coconut that was used by the Celts for river fishing. It is still used today by some fishermen around Cenarth and - above all - excursions are organised for the curious. It takes about 45 minutes to visit the site, including the tour.

In this centre, among other things, one is informed about the evolution of the country's marine fauna. You can even take a boat ride with them and participate in the animal counts. We thus learn to recognize the different dolphins according to their dorsal fin! It's really exciting. And if you want to support the centre for the preservation of these animals, you can adopt a dolphin for £30. An original gift idea that children in particular love!

Historically, wool has been Wales' most important industry. This fascinating museum celebrates this textile material, once exported all over the world. You can even try your hand at it! The National Wool Museum is also a workshop where machines and craftsmen work on a daily basis. Admission is free, which may be an alternative on rainy days, for example. Many activities are organized for children (and not only). The agenda is available on their website.

The visit to the museum is fairly long. It begins with a film recounting Lloyd George's life. Then panels tell the story of his political work, his family life... Display cases show objects that belonged to him, such as the enormous pencil he used to write his memoirs! Next, a museum guide takes you into the cottage where he was raised by his mother and uncle. On the first floor, his uncle's shoemaking workshop and the dining room where Lloyd George did his homework. Upstairs, the bedroom.

Small museum that traces the history of boat building in the region. There are models of sailing ships and navigational tools. Pictures of the old port are also on display, at a time when shipbuilding was in full swing. A video also retraces the history of the place. If Porthmadog was the port from which the slate left, the sailboats also fetched salt from Spain to bring it to North America. If the museum is quiet, the cashier can give you a guided tour if you ask him nicely!

The Sailor's Institute is a nice little free museum. The reading room has hardly been touched since the opening of the premises, which retain their Victorian atmosphere. A collection of paintings and model ships is on display. The museum is housed in one of the oldest houses in the village, built in 1460, and also exhibits pieces from the wreck of a galleon found by divers in the summer of 1978, including a beautiful engraved bronze bell and precious marbles from Italy!

An amazing museum for a confidential community, the Quaker community. Many villagers converted to this religion after its founder, George Fox, visited the village in 1657. In total opposition to the Anglicans and their attachment to dogma, the Quaker movement, which was very independent, insisted on the mystical notion of "inner light", which made the followers suspect in the eyes of the local religious authorities. So they were forced to emigrate to Pennsylvania. A film and photographs trace the life of this community.

The city's School of Fine Arts is located in a superb Edwardian period classified building overlooking Cardigan Bay. It houses a museum open to the public with an impressive collection: there is an important collection of engravings, from the 15th century to the present day, drawings, watercolours and paintings by European artists. The museum also acquired two collections of photographs. The programming is always excellent. We recommend it to you!

The former chapel houses a museum of modern art whose purpose is to showcase the work of current Welsh painters through a series of temporary exhibitions. Every August, the Tabernacl Art Competition takes place, during which a prize is awarded to the best artists. Their paintings are then exhibited and sold. The building also houses concert halls, where the village's annual music festival takes place (usually in mid-August). Many events organized around art in general: books, music...

This entertaining and popular museum exhibits objects relating to everyday life in the 1900s. A section devoted to arts and crafts features watchmaking and silversmithing tools, among others.

Upstairs are landscape paintings and genre scenes depicting the lives of farmers and fishermen in the Aberystwyth and Cardigan Bay areas. The Bowen Gallery is devoted to the archaeology and geological formations of Cardigan Bay. Also on display are artefacts from excavations in the area, dating back to the Neolithic period.

Robert Owen is a particularly interesting political figure. He was not only a theorist, but also had the opportunity to put his ideas into practice in the factory he managed himself! This boss, anxious to ensure a better living environment for his workers by offering them evening classes and daycare for their children during the work, is really an historical exception! One can read the newspaper articles of the time, expressing the establishment's disdain for its work. A film recounts the life of this boss like no other.

The museum is housed in a large 19th century house. This weaving workshop was subdivided into six different dwellings where the employees' families were housed. This building is visited to discover the history of the wool industry, a major activity in Newtown in the 19th century. In some rooms, scenes with mannequins in costume and period utensils recompose the domestic interiors of the houses. In other rooms, garment workshops are completely reconstructed, with their large wooden weaving machines

The oldest pieces date back to 1792, it is an amazing journey that this museum offers us. What we also discover is the portrait of a pioneer of distribution: Henry Walter Smith, creator of the WHSmith bookstore, took up the challenge of delivering newspapers on time! There are miniatures of delivery cars and horse-drawn carts with the company's slogan "First with the news". There is also an original kiosk on wheels from the 1950s, which was used in railway stations to sell magazines.

Don't miss Aberconwy House, the town's oldest merchant house dating back to the early ^14th century. Inside, rooms have been reconstructed to depict daily life in different periods of history. The little medieval house has seen it all in seven centuries: it has been a bakery, an antique store, a captain's house and even a hotel. It has also survived numerous disasters and a few fires. The tour is very instructive and well done for children, who won't get bored.

The former prison of Ruthin has been transformed into this excellent museum which relates the living conditions of the prisoners who stayed there until its closure at the beginning of the 19th century. The construction of individual cells in 1866, as well as the obligation to work, were supposed to lead to the improvement of detention conditions. The audio commentary and panels explain the link between poverty and incarceration during the Victorian era. Very good and informative visit, very well adapted for everyone!