Welsh Museums Festival Returns for Its 12th Year With a Record 60 Venues

Wales is preparing for its biggest-ever celebration of museums. The Welsh Museums Festival begins on Saturday, October 24, with more than 60 venues taking part in a week of events, exhibitions and family activities — the highest number of participating museums since the festival began.

A festival with roots in Cardiff

Now in its 12th year, the festival is a legacy of the 2014 Museums Association Conference at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay. It is organised by Museums Federation Cymru and supported by Welsh Government funding, timed to coincide with the October half-term break so families can make the most of free and accessible activities. This year, the federation has awarded grants totalling more than £12,000 to 18 museums to help them take part, and organisers are encouraging venues to find greener ways of marking Halloween.

Spotlight on Porthcawl

To launch this year’s festivities, Heledd Fychan, the cabinet secretary for culture and sport, visited Porthcawl Museum and Historical Society. The independent museum, founded in October 1972 and housed in the town’s old police station, cares for a collection of more than 8,000 objects telling Porthcawl’s story — including the second-largest costume collection held by any independent museum in Wales.

Federation president Ken Griffin noted that the record turnout of venues is especially welcome for families at a time of financial pressure, while the culture secretary praised museums for bringing history to life, supporting wellbeing and drawing visitors into towns and communities across the country.

Why it matters

From national institutions in Cardiff to volunteer-run collections in small towns, the festival is a reminder that Wales’ heritage is not locked behind glass — it is something to be handled, questioned and enjoyed. If you are anywhere near Wales this half term, it is one of the best weeks of the year to walk through a museum door.

Source: Museums Association