Press Releases

Over fifty guests came to hear about the importance of history to people of all ages.  It was also an opportunity to hear about some of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales’s exciting plans to further develop St Fagans as the National History Museum. 

Professor Prys Morgan spoke of the importance of history, and the important role national institutions such as the Museum and the National Library – who were working together for the first time at this year’s Eisteddfod – play in a nation’s history.  Then, Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales Director General, Michael Houlihan spoke about the Museum’s vision and the work being done to create a world class museum of learning.  He said:

"Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales is delighted to be able to join forces with the other major pan-Wales heritage organizations with the aim of promoting the importance of history. Unless a society has an awareness of its past - both achievements and mistakes - it is not able to make informed decisions about the kind of society it might wish to be for the future.

"That is why we are committed to developing a museum of national history for Wales - beginning with increasing the range of interpretation at St Fagans, to give a clear historical timeline and opportunities to explore the complex layers of personal experiences that formed the societies and individuals who live in Wales today. This will be the first phase of a ten-year programme to create a national museum of archaeology and history at St Fagans."

History Matters is organized by Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales, Cadw, the Heritage Lottery Fund and the National Trust, promoting history’s importance in all our lives.  There’s a chance to have your say across Wales, with campaign postcards available at all Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales, National Trust and Cadw sites across the whole of Wales.

Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales operates seven national museums across Wales. These are National Museum Cardiff, St Fagans: National History Museum, National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon, Big Pit: National Coal Museum, Blaenafon, National Wool Museum, Dre-fach Felindre, National Slate Museum, Llanberis and the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales celebrates its centenary in 2007. For more details go to our pages.

Entry to all the museums is free, thanks to the support of the Welsh Assembly Government.