Museum marks its millionth visitor

Swansea's National Waterfront Museum has welcomed its millionth visitor just four years after opening its doors.

Welcoming on average a quarter of a million visitors each year from across Swansea, Wales, Britain and beyond, the Museum has made its mark on the Welsh cultural map.

Visitors can explore the exciting human stories about innovation and industry in Wales now and over the past 300 years. There are 100 audio visual exhibits including 36 state-of-the-art interactive displays and some very large and now technologically obsolete objects from across Wales that include the world's first steam locomotive, a brick press and one of the very few surviving coal wagons.

It was a local Swansea family who became the Museum's celebrated millionth visitors.

The family, from St Thomas, were greeted by giant balloons to mark the occasion. Speaking about the Museum, Grandmother Chris Allen said: "It's a great place to bring the children and we regularly come along to the monthly Waterfront Nippers workshop; they love it."

Head of Museum Steph Mastoris presented the family with a souvenir goody bag including a collection of books written about the Museum and a gift voucher for the shop.

2009 has been one of the best performing years for the Museum. This summer alone (July to September) saw visitor figures reaching almost 85,000 compared to last year's 68,000.

Speaking about this special occasion, Steph said: "Welcoming the arrival of our one-millionth visitor is a real honour for us all at the National Waterfront Museum.

"As well as presenting visitors with a fascinating free day out, the Museum plays a key role as one of Swansea's major attractions that adds to the city's cultural offering and plays an important part in its regeneration.

"We're delighted to be providing the quality of exhibitions and events as well as levels of service that encourage visitors to come back to over and over again.

"This achievement is a fitting way to mark the end of an excellent year and it's now all systems go to welcome our two-millionth visitor."

Cllr Graham Thomas, Swansea Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Recreation and Tourism, said: "The National Waterfront Museum has been an outstanding success since it was opened and the visitor figures are testament to its appeal.

"The Museum offers an experience that's both entertaining and educational and the building has become an iconic part of Oystermouth Road and our stunning coastline.

"The National Waterfront Museum combines with facilities such as Swansea Museum, The Dylan Thomas Centre and the Glynn Vivian Gallery to contributing a great deal towards Swansea's thriving cultural community."

read more... “Museum marks its millionth visitor”

Park venue for first exhibition of ‘Viewfinders’

Featuring work by ‘complete beginners to old hands,’ a digital photography exhibition is the latest attraction at Victoria Park, Cadoxton, Vale of Glamorgan.

‘Viewfinders’ runs at ‘The Room in the Park’ from Sunday, 1 November, to Sunday, 15 November. It will be open daily from 10am to 4pm except Mondays and Saturdays (1-4pm).

'Viewfinders' are a group of enthusiastic amateur digital photographers who have formed into a workshop to encourage, help and share knowledge of digital imagery and photography. Members, whose ages range from 16 to 78 years of age, all share a passion for digital photography and wish to learn new skills in a relaxed, informal atmosphere.

The exhibition is a first venture to share and display their achievements.

Victora Park has undergone a major restoration programme by the Vale of Glamorgan Council which was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) as part of their Public Parks Initiative.

read more... “Park venue for first exhibition of ‘Viewfinders’”

Bardsey Crown Returns

An exhibition which will recount the history of Bardsey Island (Ynys Enlli) and exhibit the crown of the King of Enlli will open at the Gwynedd Museum & Art Gallery, Bangor this Saturday, 24th October at 11am. Alun Ffred Jones AM and Minister for Heritage will open the exhibition with Christine Evans, a poet from the island, reading an extract from her work.

The exhibition, which has been jointly organised by the Gwynedd Museum & Art Gallery and the Bardsey Island Trust will look at the history of the community who once fished and farmed on the island until the mid 20th century, and marks 30 years since the Bardsey Island Trust was established as a registered charity in 1979.

Made of tin, the crown is usually stored in the Maritime Museum in Liverpool. There have been many calls to have the crown returned to Gwynedd. Whilst the need to ensure strict security and environmental controls means that it will not be possible for the crown to return to the island, the standards in the Gwynedd Museum & Art Gallery, Bangor mean that it will be possible for the crown to return to Gwynedd for a period of six months.

Esther Roberts, Gwynedd Museum & Art Gallery Curator said:

“We are very happy to have the crown back in Gwynedd for this exhibition. Only a few artefacts have survived that give an insight into the community that lived and worked on the island. Because there are so many stories surrounding the crown, it has turned into an icon in itself.”

“The exhibition tries to place the crown in its context so we look at the community that lived there from the beginning of the 19th century until 1925 when the remaining inhabitants, led by Love Pritchard, left for the mainland to seek a less laborious way of life. The images in the exhibition show people at their work, with their boats, mending ropes, learning in the school – it was a busy place during the nineteenth century. The Reverend W.T.Jones even describes the island, in 1875 as ‘a Paris of a place’.”

John Griffiths of the Bardsey Island Trust added:

“We are delighted to support this wonderful exhibition at Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery. It is particular timely that the event is held this year – 30 years since the establishment of the Trust as a registered charity.

“As a Trust, we work to protect the wildlife and ecosystem of the island, to encourage people to visit the island as a place of natural beauty and pilgrimage to protect the buildings and archaeological sites, to promote the artistic and cultural life of the island and to engage in farming to benefit the island’s diverse habitats. We hope that this exhibition will be a great way for us to share this message with more people.”

The exhibition will be at the Gwynedd Museum & Art Gallery, Bangor from 24 October 2009 until 17 April 2010.

The Gwynedd Museum & Art Gallery, Bangor is open from Tuesday to Friday from 12.30pm to 4.30pm and on Saturday from 10.30am to 4.30pm. Admission is free.

read more... “Bardsey Crown Returns”

Exhibition in Cyfarthfa Castle Museum - A Tribute to life in the South Wales Valleys

Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council's Cyfarthfa Castle Museum & Art Gallery will soon play host to a unique collection of photography never seen before in Merthyr Tydfil.

Robert Haines - a former resident of Heolgerrig Merthyr Tydfil - took a series of story telling photographs throughout 1971/2, capturing the individual personalities of various characters throughout the borough. These prints were stored away and gathered dust for many years, until last year when Mr Haines rediscovered the box of old photographs, some thirty-five years later.

After looking more closely at the photographs, Mr Haines decided to put together an exhibition, which he will proudly display as a tribute to the life of people from the South Wales Valleys.

Since being found again, the exhibition has been on display at the Light House Gallery in Wolverhampton, but this will be the first time the pictures have come home to Wales.

The exhibition at Cyfarthfa Castle Museum, which is FREE, will be on show throughout the month of October on Tuesdays to Fridays from 10:00am – 4:00pm and on weekends from Noon – 4:00pm

For further information visit www.museums.merthyr.gov.uk and follow the link from the homepage or call Cyfarthfa Castle & Museum Art Gallery on (01685) 723112.

read more... “Exhibition in Cyfarthfa Castle Museum - A Tribute to life in the South Wales Valleys”

Crown of Bardsey's 'King' to come home

AN exhibition in October celebrating the history of Bardsey Island or Ynys Enlli could feature the crown of the island's King.

Jointly organised by the Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery and the Bardsey Island Trust the show will look at the history of the community which fished and farmed on the island until the middle of the 20th Century. It also marks 30 years since the Bardsey Island Trust was established as a registered charity in 1979.

Esther Roberts, Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery Curator said: "As part of the exhibition research, we are looking for anyone with photographs, stories or objects relating to the people who lived and worked on Bardsey until the mid 20th Century. The preparation is going well, and with the help of people who own photographs, artefacts and who has information about the island's history, we are confident that it will be an event to remember.

"Discussions are also ongoing to try to have the island's crown as part of the exhibition."

At the beginning of the 20th Century, the population of the island was around 100, but in 1925 the 'King' of Enlli, Love Pritchard (the title was bestowed on successive community leaders by Lord Newborough), led most of the remaining inhabitants to the mainland to seek a less laborious way of life. Others began to settle there shortly afterwards, making a living mainly by farming and fishing.

Made of tin, the crown is usually stored in the Maritime Museum in Liverpool. There have been many calls to have the crown returned to Gwynedd. Whilst the need to ensure strict security and environmental controls means that it will not be possible for the crown to return to the island, it is hoped that the standards in the Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery, Bangor mean that it will be possible for the crown to return to Gwynedd for a period of six months.

When Lord Newborough sold the island in 1972 to the Honourable Michael Pearson (Lord Cowdrey), the farms were merged to form a single tenancy. The Bardsey Island Trust was able to buy the island from him in 1979, following an appeal led by dedicated Bardsey enthusiasts from all over the UK and supported by many Welsh academics and public figures as well as the Church in Wales.

John Griffiths of the Bardsey Island Trust said: "We are delighted to support this wonderful exhibition at Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery. It is particular timely that the event is held this year - 30 years since the establishment of the Trust as a registered charity.

"As a Trust, we work to protect the wildlife and ecosystem of the island, to encourage people to visit the island as a place of natural beauty and pilgrimage to protect the buildings and archaeological sites, to promote the artistic and cultural life of the island and to engage in farming to benefit the island's diverse habitats. We hope that this exhibition will be a great way for us to share this message with more people."

The exhibition will be at the Gwynedd Museum & Art Gallery, Bangor from October 24, 2009 until 17 April 2010.

If you have any photographs that you would be happy for the exhibition team to scan, contact them to arrange a suitable time for your photographs to be scanned.

Contact the team:

Tony and Gwenllian Jones (tj.rhiw@tiscali.co.uk / 01758 780 209)

Esther Roberts (amgueddfagwynedd@gwynedd.gov.uk / 01248 353 368)

John Griffiths (post@enlli.org / 08458 112233)

The Gwynedd Museum & Art Gallery, Bangor is open from Tuesday to Friday from 12.30pm to 4.30pm and on Saturday from 10.30am to 4.30pm. Admission is free.

read more... “Crown of Bardsey's 'King' to come home”

Welsh Highland Heritage Railway - New museum opens in time for Easter

Visitors to Porthmadog will have the chance to try out a new interactive museum and climb into the cab of a vintage steam engine and try blowing the whistle.

There’s also chance to find out how a steam locomotive works with a new on screen simulator which shows how heat from the fire turns water into steam to drive the wheels round.

The new museum tells the story of the small railways of Porthmadog, whose rails are just two foot (60 cm) apart, and how they influenced the world, despite their small size.

James Hewett, Chairman of the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway said:

"The narrow gauge trains of Porthmadog showed that it was possible to build railways in mountainous areas like Snowdonia, where larger trains just aren’t possible.

"In the 19th century, engineers came from Russia, India and the United States to learn from the way things were done here in Wales."

Today, the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway takes visitors on a short train ride through the Snowdonia countryside before stopping at the museum on the return journey.

At the museum, there’s a chance to climb inside the cab of several locomotives, including one of the most powerful narrow gauge diesel locomotives in the UK, and one of the smallest locomotives ever built.

Later this year, visitors will be able to try their hand at new games where they can shunt the slate trucks in the harbour and attempt to rebuild a steam engine.

A miniature railway runs around the outside of the museum. Though the tracks are less than seven and a half inches apart, it manages to take people over a wooden viaduct and through a tunnel.

read more... “Welsh Highland Heritage Railway - New museum opens in time for Easter”

Journey from Swansea town to Swansea City celebrated online

THE historic steps in Swansea's journey from town to city status are celebrated in an online exhibition.

Video footage of key moments in the countdown to city status has been brought together by the West Glamorgan Archive Service to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the announcement in 1969.

Prince Charles made the announcement from the steps of the Guildhall on July 3 just two days after his investiture at Caernarfon Castle and the honour was officially granted five months later.

The video footage includes the ceremony in the Guildhall as well as sections on the road to city status and the text of the city status charter presented to Swansea by the Prince of Wales.

And people can even travel back in time thanks to information that's included on Swansea in 1969 and Swansea's first royal charter granted by King John in 1215.

Councillor Graham Thomas, Swansea Council Cabinet Member for Culture, Recreation and Tourism, said: "Many events and activities have been lined up to mark the anniversary of the historic announcement but the online exhibition is a great reference tool for people interested in finding out about the history of city status and just how different Swansea was in 1969 compared to nowadays."

Visit the features section of http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=30127 to have a look at the exhibition.

Call the Archives Service on 01792 636589 for more information.

read more... “Journey from Swansea town to Swansea City celebrated online”