Welsh museums festival returns for Halloween half term

Ghoulish celebrations, passports to adventure and Nos Galan Gaeaf games are all on offer over the Halloween half term as part of the upcoming Welsh Museums Festival.

As part of a week-long celebration of museums across Wales, the festival will run from Saturday 26th October to Sunday 3rd November with a range of events taking place at a variety of museums.

Organised by Museums Federation Cymru, funding from Welsh Government has been provided to 21 museums.

Events including: a Dragon’s Cave installation at Rhayader, Halloween Horror trials at Greenfield Valley near Holywell, a Halloween-themed light and shadow play event at Glynn Vivian in Swansea, and spooky crafts linked to the history of Halloween at Cyfarthfa in Merthyr Tydfil.

Visitors can also take part in a Museum Passport Challenge where children can get a stamp at participating museums.

If they visit one museum in half term, they can enter a prize draw to win a den making kit. If they visit six museums by April, they are entered into a prize to win a micro scooter.

Beloved

The Minister for Culture, Jack Sargeant, visited Rhondda Heritage Park this week to take a look at this year’s passports and to check out the Park’s new digital Black Gold exhibition.

He said: “This fantastic festival is such a great opportunity to see how Welsh Government funding, with intrinsic support from the Museums Federation Cymru, can make a real impact on visitors’ experiences to our nation’s beloved museums.

“We are keen to highlight the contributions museums make across Welsh communities, and with so many taking part in this year’s Festival it’s a real chance for people to visit their local museum and have fun this half term.

“With such a variety of events and activities planned, there’s sure to be something for everyone to enjoy.”

Learning

Professor Jane Henderson, Board Member of the Museums Federation Wales, said: “The Welsh Museums Festival is a wonderful example of the relevance of our heritage as a focus for family fun, lifelong learning and social wellbeing.

“We hope our visitors take up our bilingual passport challenge and are inspired to take part in free events across warm and welcoming spaces during half-term and well into the future.”

Festival Museums 2024 (*denotes passport challenge museum)

North Wales:
Porthmadog Maritime Museum*
Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum*
Sir Henry Jones Museum*
Mold Museum and Library*
Greenfield Valley Museum and Heritage Park*
Storiel*
Oriel Plas Glyn-y-Weddw*
Penmaenmawr Museum*
Oriel Môn*
Brambell Natural History Museum*
Wrexham Museum
Yr Ysgwrn
Ruthin Gaol Museum
Conwy Culture Centre
Llŷn Maritime Museum
National Slate Museum*

South Wales:
Nantgarw China Works Museum*
Abergavenny Museum*
Torfaen Museum
Chepstow Museum*
Firing Line Museum, Cardiff Castle*
National Museum of Cardiff*
Pontypridd Museum*
Cyfarthfa Castle Museum and Art Gallery
Rhondda Heritage Park*
Shire Hall Museum*
Big Pit National Coal Museum*
National Roman Legion Museum*
Blaenavon Community Museum

Mid Wales:
Y Gaer, Museum, Art Gallery & Library*
Ceredigion Museum*
TimeScape Rhayader

West Wales:
The Egypt Centre*
Dylan Thomas Centre*
Tenby Museum and Art Gallery*
Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre*
National Wool Museum*
Parc Howard Museum*
Dylan Thomas Boathouse*
Carmarthenshire Museum*
Milford Haven Museum*
National Waterfront Museum*
Glynn Vivian Art Gallery*
Swansea Museum
Museum of Land Speed
Haverfordwest Town Museum*