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National Wool Museum marks 50th anniversary with summer programme of family events

27 Jul 2026 3 minute read

A member of museum staff helps young visitors with activities. The National Wool Museum is serving up a Summer of Fun activities. Photo Athena Picture Agency Zing Ltd

Nation.Cymru staff

The National Wool Museum is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a programme of family activities, craft workshops and special events throughout the summer.

Based at Dre-fach Felindre, near Newcastle Emlyn, the museum is marking the milestone with a mix of free drop-in sessions and bookable activities showcasing Wales’ textile heritage.

Visitors can explore a new interactive Woolly Tale Family Trail, a Meadow Trail and a dedicated Make and Create Space offering daily craft activities. Depending on the day, families can make lavender bags, pom poms and summer flower creations, while children can also take part in Art Cart activities.

Historic machinery and traditional craft demonstrations will also take place throughout the summer, giving visitors the chance to see how Wales’ woollen industry operated.

A series of bookable workshops has also been organised.

Young people can learn the traditional craft of wet felting during CREU Young Makers sessions on July 29 and August 11, 13 and 18. The workshops, costing £9 per child, will show participants how to create their own felt keepsake using colourful wool and warm soapy water.

Adults can take part in a “Meet the Gardener” session on July 30, where museum gardener Susan Martin will explain how plants have been used for centuries to produce natural dyes for textiles.

Visitors will also be able to see flax being processed into linen fibres and try using a traditional flax brake.

On August 15, the museum will host Johnny Lewis and Friends: Stories from Cambrian Mills, a free day celebrating the history of the local woollen industry.

Visitors can join character-led tours in Welsh and English led by Johnny, based on the former owner of Cambrian Mills, who will share stories of life at the mill and the people who worked there.

The event will also feature Nansi, a character inspired by the families who made up the local woollen community, while visitors will have the chance to see a Triumph Mayflower, the type of car Johnny once drove, and learn more about the people, places and traditions that shaped the museum’s history.

Located in the heart of the Teifi Valley, the National Wool Museum tells the story of Wales’ historic woollen industry through working machinery, traditional crafts and interactive displays.

The museum has advised visitors that daily activities and demonstration times may vary and recommends contacting staff in advance if planning to attend a specific event.

Places for the bookable workshops can be reserved through the museum’s website.

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