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National Museum of Wales: St Fagans

The National History Museum at St Fagans near Cardiff has galleries telling the story of Welsh life, focusing on farming, clothing and identity. Identity is a particularly interesting idea to explore for someone with a Welsh background, as the country has never actually existed. Historically Wales has never had a capital city or national government. The one claim to nationality that Wales does have is a language, and that is much stronger in the north than the south: in many ways the north actually feels itself as a different country to the south.

 

 

 

Of course all countries have contradictions in their identity,and this is true of Britain as a whole. Perhaps, though, the contradictions are especially strong in Wales.

 

Kennixton Farmhouse from Llangennydd, Gower

 

 

 

 

 

Actually I don't think the idea of Wales is diminished by its historical lack of governments and capital city. Countries are essentially a state of mind, and Wales in its own way has a powerful spirit, which might actually draw power from its enigma. "We're a musical nation" says a character in Dylan Thomas's Under Milk Wood. Perhaps it is as meaningful to define a country in terms of music as in terms of administrative structure.

 

Rhyd-y-car Terrace

The most striking part of the National History Museum is the one hundred acre open air museum where over forty historical buildings from all over Wales have been gathered. These include a seventeenth century farmhouse, shown above, and a terrace of houses built in 1800 for iron ore mine workers.

Opening Times: The museum is open 10am - 5pm daily.

Directions:The museum is near Cardiff. Leave the M4 at junction 33, and follow the A4232 for about two miles. The entrance will be on the left. Click here for an interactive map centred on the National Museum of Wales.

Access: wheelchair access in the galleries is good. Wheelchairs are available on request. Access might be difficult in some of the historic buildings. There are steep slopes in some areas on the castle side of the museum site. A disabled tour vehicle is available. Adapted toilet facilities are provided. There are large print guides.

Contact:

phone: 029 2057 3500

web site: http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/stfagans/