South Wales Miners' Museum

South Wales Miners' Museum
Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre housing the South Wales Miners' Museum
Museum location in Neath Port Talbot
Established	1976
Location	Cynonville, Port Talbot, South Wales
Coordinates	51°38′29″N 3°42′12″W / 51.6415°N 3.7032°W / 51.6415; -3.7032
Type	Mining museum
Nearest car park	On site (free)
Website	South Wales Miners' Museum

The South Wales Miners' Museum is a museum of the coal mining industry and its workforce in the South Wales coalfield. It is located at Cynonville within the Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre in the Afan Forest Park, near the small village of Cymmer in Port Talbot.

History

The museum, the first of its kind in Wales, opened in June 1976. The main features of the museum at that time included a traditional miner's cottage scene and display cabinets containing historical photographs and documents ^[1] designed to reflect the industrial heritage of mining in Wales. In 1976, the museum received The Prince of Wales Award, and two years later it was highly placed in the National Heritage Museum of the Year Award. The museum was also highly commended by the British Tourist Authority in their "Come to Britain" competition.^[1] Today the museum receives about 100,000 visitors a year.^[2]

Facilities and exhibitions

The museum, which re-opened in 2008 after rebuilding, features a recreation of a tunnel where models of children can be seen crawling though the space underground. There is also a realistic stable with a miner, his pit pony and trailer. Outdoor exhibits include a blacksmith's shop, a lamp room with Davy lamps, a pithead wheel, a haulage engine and coal dram.^[1]

Notes

External links

Museums and art galleries in Wales

Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales	National Museum Cardiff St Fagans National History Museum Big Pit National Coal Museum National Wool Museum National Roman Legion Museum National Slate Museum National Waterfront Museum

Natural history	National Museum Cardiff Swansea Museum Tenby Museum and Art Gallery Newport Museum and Art Gallery

Ancient history	Roman Baths Museum

Galleries and art	Dylan Thomas Boathouse Dylan Thomas Centre Glynn Vivian Art Gallery Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre MOMA, Wales Oriel Mostyn Oriel Ynys Môn Turner House Gallery

Industry	Bersham Ironworks Blaenavon Ironworks Cefn Coed Colliery Museum Kidwelly Industrial Museum Llechwedd Slate Caverns Newtown Textile Museum Pierhead Building South Wales Miners' Museum Sygun Copper Mine

Military	Monmouth Museum South Wales Borderers Museum Museum of the Welsh Soldier Pembroke Dock Flying Boat Centre

Local history	Abergavenny Museum Brecknock Museum Cardiff Story Museum Carmarthenshire County Museum Ceredigion Museum Chepstow Museum Haverfordwest Town Museum Lampeter Museum Llancaiach Fawr Llandrindod Wells Museum Llanidloes Museum Milford Haven Museum Narberth Museum Newport Museum Parc Howard Museum Pontypool Museum Powysland Museum Scolton Manor Swansea Museum Tenby Museum and Art Gallery Wrexham County Borough Museum

Motoring	Llangollen Motor Museum Pembrokeshire Motor Museum Pendine Museum of Speed

Railways	Conwy Valley Railway Museum Narrow Gauge Railway Museum Penrhyn Castle Railway Museum

Maritime	Holyhead Maritime Museum National Coracle Centre

Other	National Cycle Collection Welsh Sports Hall of Fame

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