Conservation work on National Slate Museum objects 16 April 2026 Conservation is at the heart of the National Slate Museum redevelopment project and our conservation team are already hard at work assessing and working on the collections to make sure they look their best and keep them safe so that they can be enjoyed for generations to come when the Museum reopens. Jennifer Griffiths is Senior Conservator of Industry Collections and is one of several team members working on the National Slate Museum collection. here she tells us a bit more about her work. “I’ve started my part of the conservation work with treatment of a pay trolley." said Jennifer." This wooden cabinet contains 49 small pay tins made from tin-plate. The cabinet and all of drawers within the cabinet were extremely dirty with surface and ingrained dirt and the tins, all very heavily corroded. The cabinet can be seen here before and after conservation." "So far, the conservation of the cabinet and 7 of the tins has taken a total of 45 days' work.""Each pay tin takes 2 days to complete and so far, 7 tins have been completed.""Just 42 tins to go!"Over the next few months we'll be taking a closer look at all the other conservation work taking place including cleaning our wooden pattern collection, paper and artworks, furniture and clothing! The National Slate Museum redvelopment project is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, UK Government via Cyngor Gwynedd as part of the Llewyrch o'r Llechi project, Welsh Government including the Community Facilities Programme, the Wolfson Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation and other funders. We are extremely grateful to all our funders for their support.
Crafted memories, Rachel Evans 1 April 2026 As an artist, my work explores the traces of social history held within domestic artefacts and local landscapes. I’m drawn to details that reflect nurture and resourcefulness, especially those shaped by women’s everyday experiences, which are often missing from official histories. This project was a great opportunity to engage with participants, hear their stories, and explore how everyday objects carry memories and histories.Our sessions in Morfa ward, Ysbyty Alltwen 'day room' began with conversations about domestic life in the past, sparked by handling artefacts from the museum, such as crockery, utensils, and textiles. We created our own pieces inspired by domestic life using air-dry clay, incorporating textures that reflect both industrial and household labour. Letter stamps allowed us to imprint memories from our discussions into the clay, adding a personal layer to collective stories. Colour was added with ink and graphite, or tea and coffee, buffed between layers to give an aged effect—a process that echoed domestic chores.Rag rugs, part of the Slate Museum’s collection and a symbol of domestic resourcefulness, inspired us to create our own collaborative sample. Traditionally made by prodding strips of rag through sacking cloth, we adapted the method for simplicity: looping rags around pipe cleaners, then linking and stitching them into a smaller rug shape. The embroidery hoop pieces are inspired by a quarryman’s blanket from c.1900, made from patched pieces of grey cloth trimmed with red, to protect its owner from the harsh conditions of the barracks. Our stitched pieces combine the resourcefulness of stitching and mending with symbols from the carved hearths seen in some slate quarrying communities.The postcard-sized pieces continue the theme, featuring symbols from the hearths, with text drawn from conversations and memories.This project has been a wonderful way to share personal stories and creativity, bringing people together through collective making —thanks to everyone involved!"It was nice to come together as a group and learn new skills" - a patient on Morfa ward, Alltwen hospitalContact details: rachelevanscelf@gmail.com Instagram: rachelevans_artist This activity was a part of the National Slate Museum redevelopment project, which is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, UK Government via Gwynedd Council as part of the Llewyrch o’r Llechi project, Welsh Government including the Community Facilities Programme, the Wolfson Foundation, The Garfield Weston Foundation and other funders.
Celebrating Women Who Lead: Helen Goddard, Project Director, National Slate Museum Redevelopment 6 March 2026 For International Women's Day, we are shining a light on one of the incredible women that’s shaping the future of the National Slate Museum. Let us introduce you to Helen Goddard, Project Director for our redevelopment project. Leading with Purpose As Project Director, Helen oversees every aspect of the ambitious redevelopment of the National Slate Museum. Her role is all about ensuring the project delivers on its full potential creatively, culturally, and for communities across Wales and beyond. “I’m responsible for the project as a whole,” Helen explains, “and for making sure it delivers on its ambition.” A Journey Through Heritage Before joining the museum, Helen worked as an archaeologist and community archaeologist before moving into community development work. She spent many years working in the breathtaking northern and western Isles of Scotland, supporting island communities with heritage and community infrastructure projects. Helen moved to Wales in 2011, driven by a personal ambition to learn Welsh. She later qualified as a museum professional while working for Conwy County Borough Council. Women Leading the Way Helen is passionate about women taking up space in sectors where they’ve historically been underrepresented. While the heritage world has strong female representation, construction remains more male dominated. But at the National Slate Museum, the picture is different. “One of the wonderful things about our project is that there are numerous women in leadership roles,” she says. “Our Head of Site, Elen; Exhibition Development Manager, Ulli; our Curator, Cadi; and our Heads of Capital Projects, Julie and Diane. All outstanding women.” Her advice for other women entering similar fields? “Lead authentically. You don’t need to behave in traditionally male ways to lead. It’s okay to show emotion, to be collaborative, and to trust your team.” Life Beyond the Museum When she’s not leading a major redevelopment, Helen’s full of surprises, including one unforgettable chapter of her life: “I once worked on a fishing boat in the Outer Hebrides!” Inspired by a Strong Woman Helen credits her mother as one of her greatest inspirations. “My mum came from a family of 10 children living in rural poverty and went on to carve out her own destiny, never compromising on her dream to help people. She became a Nurse Practitioner towards the end of her career.” Thanks for sharing, Helen, you are a true leader and inspiration!
Bats at the National Slate Museum: Protecting Our Smallest Residents During Redevelopment 3 March 2026 As the National Slate Museum continues its major redevelopment programme, an important community of residents remains very much at the heart of our plans - our bats! Working closely with ecologist Carola Hoskins of SK Environmental Solutions ltd, we’ve been carefully monitoring and protecting ten known bat roosts across the site. These roosts are home mainly to common and soprano pipistrelle bats, two of the smallest bat species in the UK. Seven of the roosts are used by individual males or non-breeding females, but one is particularly special - a soprano pipistrelle maternity roost that supports around 65 bats at its Summer peak.A Safe Place for New LifeAlthough the colony is currently winter hibernating elsewhere, by late April the bats will begin to return. At this time around 35 females will settle into the maternity roost and by late May or early June, each Mother gives birth to a single pup doubling the colony size almost overnight. While 65 bats might sound like a lot, it’s a relatively small maternity colony for soprano pipistrelles, making every individual important.One of Nature’s Cleverest Adaptations“Bats have many remarkable traits, but one of the most fascinating is delayed fertilisation." said Carola. "Female bats mate in autumn, but they delay pregnancy until spring, storing sperm through the winter months. This ensures that pups are born at exactly the right time when warmth, food, and safe roosting conditions give them the best chance of survival. It’s one of the many reasons these tiny mammals are so well adapted to life in the UK."Conservation at the Heart of Our RedevelopmentBecause bats and their roosts are legally protected, all redevelopment work involving the roofs at the Naional Slate Museum or potential bat habitat is carried out under licence, and only during winter while the bats are away. Carola is working alongside our Museum and Construction teams to guide every step of this process, by ensuring that roost entrances remain open, structures remain suitable, and the bats can return safely each spring. This careful approach allows us to progress with essential redevelopment while safeguarding a species that has lived alongside the museum buildings for generations.The National Slate Museum redevelopment project is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, UK Government via Cyngor Gwynedd as part of the Llewyrch o'r Llechi project, Welsh Government including the Community Facilities Programme, the Wolfson Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation and other funders. We are extremely grateful to all our funders for their support.
Quarrymen at the Castle! Julie Williams, 16 February 2026 National Slate Museum Slate Quarrymen swap Industrial workshops for Castle splendour! For the first time in history slate quarrymen are working at Penrhyn Castle – the home of one of the wealthiest Slate Quarry owners in North Wales. Our demonstrating Slate Quarrymen, who usually hold demonstrations at the Museum in Llanberis, are instead demonstrating their skills and craftsmanship at the Castle. This astounding turning point comes as we are temporarily close to the public for redevelopment but we didn't want to stop telling our story so decided to take our story to other locations important to the story of slate and which are part of the World Heritage designation for the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales. Penrhyn Slate Quarry established by the Pennant family, dominated the Welsh slate industry for almost 150 years and was notorious for its harsh working conditions. In 1900, over 2000 workers went on strike for better wages and working conditions - a culmination of several years of dissatisfaction and unrest. Known locally as the Penrhyn Lockout, the strike lasted for over three years and was one of the longest and most bitter industrial disputes in British history. It caused incredible hardship for the Quarrymen and their families and ripped apart a community, dividing it into strike ‘faithful’s’ who remained on strike or left to find other work elsewhere, and ‘bradwrs’ (traitors) who returned to work. Many in the local community still regard the Castle as a symbol of wealth and oppression. Historically, Quarrymen would not have crossed the threshold to the Castle and many of their families have struggled to do so since then. Now managed by National Trust Cymru, Penrhyn Castle and Garden have been working with artists and the local community for over a decade to share more about this history and re-engage with its local community as Ceri Williams, General Manager at Penrhyn Castle explained: “Over the last decade and more we’ve been working to re-address the way we share our industrial and colonial connections at Penrhyn Castle. Each year, we've achieved new milestones, but welcoming the Quarrymen into the castle marks a significant leap forward in reconnecting the community with this historic site. Already, crowds have been gathering to catch a glimpse of the live slate-splitting demonstration that not only celebrates local craftmanship but provides authentic experiences that resonates with the castle’s industrial history. As we continue to work with the National Slate Museum over coming months, we look forward to combining our offers and providing visitors with a unique and memorable visit to Penrhyn Castle.”For us, the opportunity to have our Quarrymen demonstrating at Penrhyn Castle is a key feature of our redevelopment programme - in particular our Museum on the Move campaign in 2025 as Elen Roberts, Head of the National Slate Museum explained: “We’re very grateful to the team at Penrhyn Castle and to National Trust Cymru, for giving us this unique opportunity to work with them as part of our redevelopment programme for the National Slate Museum. We’ve worked closely with the Trust over the years to share the story of slate and this opportunity to share our Quarrymen’s skills and stories is an enormous thing from both sides. Relocating here – and to other sites around the World Heritage designation during our Museum’s redevelopment - will allow us to engage with new audiences and ensure our story continues beyond the walls of the museum. Our staff will benefit from continuing to interact with the public which will enhance their knowledge of the slate story, and hopefully visitors will benefit from encountering Museum staff in new locations – which, alongside the National Trust’s existing offer to visitors at Penrhyn Castle, will offer a fresh perspective on the story of slate”Both attractions are key parts of the World Heritage Site for the Slate Landscape of North West Wales. Lord Dafydd Wigley, Chair of the Llechi Cymru Partnership welcomed the development:“Cyngor Gwynedd and its partners have worked together over many years to develop a strong partnership to deliver the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales World Heritage nomination and subsequent inscription. The results of this strong and active partnership is now bearing fruit as we not only see significant investment of over £30m through the Llewyrch o’r Llechi programme of activities - such as those at Amgueddfa Lechi Cymru and others across the Slate Landscape; but we are also seeing new and innovative ways of working together to reach new audiences, provide new experiences and to share our monumental and global story of how north Wales roofed the world.”The Quarrymen are at Penrhyn Castle on a daily basis during 2025. For more information about the history of Penrhyn Castle visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/penrhyn-castle-and-garden
