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The renowned ceramics collection is now displayed in a series of new glass cases, provided through a grant of £180,000 from the Welsh Assembly Government. Attending tonight's event will be Welsh Assembly Government Minister for Culture, Welsh Language and Sport, Alun Pugh, who said:

"The National Museum's collections are an important part of our national heritage. I'm pleased that funding from the Welsh Assembly Government has helped to provide new display facilities so that exhibits are maintained in peak condition for visitors' enjoyment."

Many of the ceramics on show are from the de Winton collection. Wilfred de Winton, a Brecon-born banker, collected porcelain in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He mapped the evolution of shapes and decorative motifs as porcelain manufacture spread around Europe from factory to factory. Much of the collection was given to the National Museum in 1917 and the rest bequeathed in 1929.

“Speaking about the importance of the ceramics collection, National Museum Cardiff Director, Michael Tooby, said:

“The ceramics collections have an extraordinary range and are of the highest quality. The gift by Wilfred de Winton of his outstanding collection of over 3,000 examples of historic porcelain set the standard in the first decades of the museum's life. The collection has continued to develop right up to the present day, and as a result also features some of the best-known makers of the modern period. New ceramics by artists from Wales and beyond are regularly added.

“The ceramics displays represent some of the most thoughtful and responsive ideas in the museum's programming, whether it is new and historic work in thoughtful juxtaposition, or in community-curated displays in the 'You Choose' programme.

“Until now this remarkable collection has been shown in cases which date from the original museum buildings. These have been replaced over the last nine months by a suite of simple and elegant display cases. Not only do these allow the collections to look fresh and sparkling, but they also are flexible, allowing regular renewals and new works to be presented.”

National Museum Cardiff is one of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales' seven national museums across Wales. The others are 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 is the new name for the National Museums & Galleries of Wales.

Entry to all Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales sites is free, thanks to the support of the Welsh Assembly Government.

Notes to Editors

For more details, please contact:

Gwenllïan Carr, Head of Press and Public Relations
Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales
029 2057 3175 / 07974 205 849
Gwenllian.carr@museumwales.ac.uk