Press Releases

The team at the National Wool Museum, Dre-fach Felindre near Newcastle Emlyn is celebrating a significant growth in the number of people who visited the site over the past 12 months, compared to the previous financial year.

The Wool Museum, one of Wales’ National Museums which hosts the country’s textile collection, welcomed a total of 21,755 visitors between April 2007 and March 2008 - an increase of 20% from 2006-07.

“Since December 2006, the National Wool Museum has progressed considerably in terms of the site and its offering, and this is reflected in the number of visitors it now attracts,” said Ann Whittall who took on the role as Museum Manager 18 months ago.

“It plays an important part in the local community as a meeting place, hosting events and sharing skills with residents from the surrounding area. And people from further afield leave the Museum having learnt about the importance of wool to Wales.”

Visitors can listen to people’s memories of the industry and can see flannel being produced at the working mill on site.

“The Museum has recently acquired a new collection of clothes made from wool, which was produced at the old Cambrian Mills where the Museum is based today,” continued Mrs Whittall. “These garments, made in the 60s and 70s and include shirts, mini skirts and hot pants, will be on display from July 2008.”   

In addition, the Museum has appointed six new members of staff in preparation for the summer season including a new craftsperson who has joined the team which operates the machinery. Kevin Evans comes from Llandysul. He said:

“Being appointed as a craftsperson at the National Wool Museum, I have been given an opportunity to work in a field about which I feel passionately. I started my career as a semi-skilled mechanic at a police garage and have always been interested in practical and mechanical work.”

For further information about the Museum and its events including a Craft Fair with Ceredigion Craftmakers from 10am – 4pm on 5 May 2008, please visit www.museumwales.ac.uk.  Entry to the National Wool Museum and all Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum sites is free, thanks to the support of the Welsh Assembly Government.

The National Wool Museum is part of Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales which operates six other 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 Waterfront Museum and the National Slate Museum, Llanberis.

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For further information, please contact Catrin Mears, Communications Officer, tel: 029 2057 3185 or email catrin.mears@amgueddfacymru.ac.uk.