Press Releases
Sell-out crowd attend annual lecture at Big Pit: National Coal Museum
Date:
2006-04-13Big Pit's 2006 season had a great boost on Saturday with record numbers attending both the lunchtime concert and Annual Lecture.
Big Pit, winner of the 2005 Gulbenkian Prize for UK Museum of the Year, hosted its inaugural Annual Lecture in 2004. The event has always proved very popular, and this year saw another sell-out crowd.
Delivered by Dr Dulais Rhys, the subject of this year's lecture was Dr Joseph Parry, the son of an ironworker from Merthyr Tydfil who went on to become a prolific composer and possibly the most famous Welshman of his generation, best known now for his love song Myfanwy. For the first time, the lecture was preceded by a lunchtime concert, which was given by Tredegar Town Band and also attracted great interest.
Keeper & Mine Manager at Big Pit, Peter Walker, said: "We are delighted that the Annual Lecture this year was so successful. The audience on Saturday enjoyed a bumper day of music, and we are delighted that this event continues to go from strength to strength.
"The addition of a lunchtime concert gave a practical example of how industry and music are linked across the south Wales coalfield. We are looking forward to hosting some of the leading bands and male voice choirs from across south Wales throughout the spring in a series of Sunday afternoon concerts.
"In addition to this, Dr Dulais Rhys will be repeating the lecture on our stand at the National Eisteddfod in Swansea during the first week of August, so that people who missed out on this occasion will have opportunity to hear him speak then", he added.
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.
Entry to all the museums is free, thanks to the support of the Welsh Assembly Government.
Notes to Editors
For further details on the Annual Lecture and accompanying activities, please contact: Kathryn Stowers, Marketing & PR Officer, Big Pit.
Tel: 01495 790311, 07970 017210
Big Pit is open every day 9.30 am–5 pm. Underground tours run frequently 10 am–3.30 pm. Children must be at least one metre tall to go underground.