Accessibility – St Fagans National History Museum

We are proud to be the first museum to become a member of the National Access scheme Hynt.  Whether you’re an individual or an organisation you can access free tickets for carers and companions for some of our events and exhibitions. 

Hynt is an Arts Council of Wales initiative managed by Creu Cymru in partnership with Diverse Cymru; you can apply to be a member on the Hynt website.

Booking a ticket with a Hynt card

When booking your ticket with a Hynt card, we’ll ask you for your unique Hynt reference number. You can book your tickets with us in the following ways:

• In person at National Museum Cardiff – our friendly Museum Assistants behind the information desk will be happy to help you
• Or online – click this link to get started. If you have booked with us online using a valid Hynt barcode number, your Hynt account will be added to your Amgueddfa Cymru account for your future convenience. Please note it may take up to 24 hours for your Hynt membership to be added to your online account. 

Tickets are issued to the cardholder, who is required to present their photographic Hynt card at each exhibition or event that they attend. The amount of Hynt tickets available for online booking is restricted and determined by the number agreed upon during the application process. Please make sure to select the appropriate number of tickets for all members of your group.

To help plan your visit, have a look at our visual story. This includes photographs and information of what you can expect from your visit to the museum.

Museum entrance and exit

The main entrance to the museum is via the entrance building, next to the museum car park. There is level access to the building and you can exit out on to the museum site via the level exit on the ground floor, or take one of two lifts to the third floor and exit via the rear doors to the outdoor grounds of the museum.

Accessible parking

There is ample accessible parking available outside the front of the main entrance building. Parking is free for blue badge holders.

Quiet Times

The museum can be busy on weekends and bank holidays. The quietest times to visit are weekdays during term time after 3pm. The museum closes at 5pm.

Quiet areas

The outdoor grounds of St Fagans are large and there are plenty of quieter spots including the wooded areas towards Garreg Fawr and Llys Llywelyn, and the Castle gardens. The permanent indoor galleries of Wales is…, Life is…, and Gweithdy are also quieter spaces.

Lift and access to galleries

The galleries at St Fagans are located upstairs in the main entrance building.

There are two lifts in the main building which give access to the galleries on floor 3.

Ground floor

Main entrance hall 
Shop 
Y Gegin café 
Toilets and Changing Place 
Level access to the outdoor museum

Floor 2

Weston Centre for Learning (to book a space, contact the Learning team on (029) 2057 3500) 
Toilets and Changing Place

Floor 3

Wales is… and Life is… galleries 
Temporary exhibition space 
Exit to the outdoor museum

Lighting and temperature

Temperature and lighting levels vary from historic building to historic building. There may be a fire in some of the buildings you visit. Lighting levels are low in many of the historic buildings as the lighting reflects the time period.

A large part of the museum is outdoors, and it is a good idea to bring an extra layer and a waterproof jacket so that you’re prepared for all weathers.

Uneven flooring

St Fagans is a large open-air museum and due to the historic nature of the museum, there are uneven floors and surfaces. Some of the paths on the Castle side of the museum are steep and uneven.

Accessible Toilets

There are accessible toilets downstairs in the main building, and by the Weston Centre for Learning on floor 2.

There are also accessible toilets near Rhyd-y-car Terrace, in the Castle grounds, in Oakdale Workmen’s Institute and downstairs in Gweithdy. The toilets in Gweithdy are located in the basement and are accessed via a lift. Please refer to the site map or ask a member of staff.

Baby changing facilities

Baby changing facilities can be located in the main building on the ground floor, in the toilets by the Weston Centre for Learning on floor 2, in Gweithdy and in the toilets near Rhyd-y-car Terrace.

Changing Places

In addition to our accessible toilets, we do have two changing places facilities on site – one in the main entrance building and one in Gweithdy. Our Changing places are equipped with a hoist and adjustable bed. Access to the toilet is via radar key.

Find other Changing Places locations. 

Borrow a wheelchair

A number of manual wheelchairs are available free of charge from the welcome desk in the main building. These are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. We are unable to provide staff assistance around the museum for wheelchair users. Wheelchairs may not be taken outside of the museum grounds.

Mobility scooter

Mobility scooters are welcome and permitted inside the museum.

We do not have mobility scooters for hire, but we do offer a buggy service to help visitors around the site. You can book this service by calling the museum at least two weeks in advance of your visit.

Emergency evacuation

It's unlikely that an alarm will sound during your visit. If one does, please don't worry – just follow any instructions given by members of staff, they will guide you to the nearest safe exit.

Seating

There are lots of benches located across the museum grounds. There is outdoor seating outside the main building and Gweithdy. There is seating inside the cafes, in the main building, Gweithdy and the Castle.

Enhanced Sounds

You will hear lots of different noises during your visit.

In the smithy, you will hear a hammer hitting metal.

In the flour mill, the woollen mill, and on the farm, you will hear machinery. You may also hear animals such as sheep and cows on the farm.

You may hear a piano being played in the Life is…gallery and upstairs in Oakdale Workmen’s Institute.

Enhanced Smells

There are lots of interesting smells around the museum including the smell of freshly baked bread in the bakery, beer in The Vulcan Hotel, and farm animals down on Llwyn-yr-eos Farm.

Service dogs

We understand that some of our visitors will require the support of a service dog and we are happy to admit appropriately trained service dogs. Service dogs should be supervised and kept under your control throughout your visit, ideally remaining on a lead and wearing the appropriate tabard or harness. Please ask a member of staff to direct you to the nearest toilet/toileting area. Drinking water is available on request from the coffee shop.

Hearing Loops

Induction loops are available at the welcome desk in the main building, in the museum shop, and the reception of the Weston Centre for Learning on floor 2 of the main building.

Each September, St Fagans hosts the annual Amgueddfa Cymru Food Festival. The event features over 80 food, drink and craft stalls plus lots of family friendly foodie activities. BSL interpretation is available as part of the festival programme.

Audio described tours

We can offer free Audio Description tours and guided assistance for individual visitors. See this page for details Audio Described Tours