Press Releases

First Minister To Visit Big Pit

Press Release - 20 December 2005.

Big Pit: National Coal Museum hosts a special visitor on Thursday. Rt. Hon. Rhodri Morgan, First Minister of the National Assembly for Wales will visit the award-winning Museum and meet the staff who have helped make Big Pit so successful.

Part of the Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales family of museums, Big Pit, a colliery-turned museum in Blaenafon, has enjoyed another record breaking year, and Peter Walker, Keeper and Mine Manager said:

“We are delighted that the First Minister is paying us a visit over the festive season. We are open throughout the winter for the first time in many years, and we are hoping Mr Morgan will enjoy seeing visitors taking part in the wide range of activities we have for the whole family throughout the Christmas holidays.

“Previously, Big Pit closed for approximately ten weeks through the winter to undertake underground and surface maintenance, the museum is only closing for four days over the festive season. We are hoping this visit will help to remind people that Big Pit is a great place to bring the family over the holidays.”

Rhodri Morgan, First Minister added:

“It’s been a fantastic year for Big Pit. Not only has it been named at the UK Museum of the Year and seen record visitor figures, it’s also now open throughout the year. The changes made at the museum over the past few years have been marvellous, and have helped to make Big Pit one of the main must-see places in Wales.”

Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales is the new name for the National Museums & Galleries of Wales, which 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 – winner of this year’s Gulbenkian Prize for Museum of the Year, National Wool Museum, Dre-fach Felindre, National Slate Museum, Llanberis and the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

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

-Ends-

Notes for Editors -

For further information, please contact:
Kathryn Stowers, Marketing Officer: Big Pit.
Tel: 01495 790311.
Mob: 07970 017210
kathryn.stowers@nmgw.ac.uk
Big Pit is now open throughout December and January, except December 24, 25, 26 and January 1.
Opening times until the end of November: 9.30am-5pm. Underground tours run frequently 10am-3.30pm.
From December 1: 9.30am-4.30pm. Underground tours run frequently 10am-3pm.
Underground closed during January for essential maintenance.