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Are you a terrible hoarder?

Sarah Parsons, 4 August 2017

This is one of our fabulous, weird and wonderful stores at St Fagans National Museum of History. It’s chockablock full of objects. We’re still collecting new things, but we have to be very selective in what we take in. We just don’t have the space!

Store at St Fagans National Museum of History

You can come across all sorts of things in a social history store like this one, from grandfather clocks to prosthetic limbs.

When a colleague of mine first went into this store and was told to ‘mind the mantrap’ she thought it was a joke. It turns out there really was a mantrap lurking at the end of a dark corridor!

For a long time I’ve known that the majority of museum collections are hidden away in storage, that what you see in galleries is only a small portion, but I had no idea to what extent until I started working here.

Of the 5 million objects we have across seven museums ranging from vintage motorcars, moon rock, world famous paintings, Iron Age slave chains, to a public urinal. How many objects are on display?

Only 0.2% of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales’ collections are on display.

So if there is a specific object you want to see at any of our museums, check that it’s on display first, and if it’s not, you can always make an appointment to view it. Thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery, we have had funding so we can enhance records and add images for you to view in Collections Online which will be up and running in the autumn. Keep an eye out for behind the scenes store tours with the curators and conservators who look after our collections, these can be really enlightening!

We’re looking after the collections, on your behalf. We hope you enjoy exploring them as much as we do.

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Sarah Parsons

Museum Assistant

Comments (4)

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Marc Haynes Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales Staff
21 August 2017, 10:49
Hi Jayne,

Thank you very much for your enquiry. I'm passing it on to our curatorial staff at St Fagans, who will get in touch with you as soon as possible by email.

Kind regards,

Marc
Digital Team
Jayne Rees
19 August 2017, 11:25
Hi Sarah. I have a collection of old jars called easiwork and was wondering if i could donate them to you please. I am going to visit St Fagsns on Wednesday or Thursday the 30/31st August and ciuld bring them with me. What are your thoughts please?
Sara Huws Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales Staff
10 August 2017, 14:30

Hi there Claire

Thank you for your enquiry. I'm going to pass it on to the curator who is responsible for our textiles collections, so that she can get back to you by email. I know that she is currently working at the national Eisteddfod in north Wales at the moment, so she will be back in the office in the coming week or so to deal with your request.

Thanks again for getting in touch,

Sara
Digital Team

Claire Cowley
10 August 2017, 11:15
I have a v.large sampler in a mahogany frame which sadly fell off the wall breaking glass and ripping canvas.Its my great grandma's work,dated 1855.
Is there a way of repairing it or could I donate it to you?

Maybe too fragile.I live in Newcastle but I will be visiting South Wales in September.
I'll try and attach a picture.
Regards,
Claire Cowley