Brecon Mountain RailwayCyfarthfa Castle Museum and Art GalleryGarwnant Visitor Centre
The Cyfarthfa Castle Museum and Art Gallery houses the first steam whistle, the first voting ballot box and dresses by Laura Ashley and Julien McDonald. The surroundings, Cyfarthfa Castle, home to William Crawshay II and family, serve as a reminder to the Ironmasters dominance over the town and the wealth the iron industry brought to the area.
The 'Ironmaster' William Crawshay commissioned Cyfarthfa Castle in 1824. This grand castellated mansion overlooked his immensely successful ironworks and has been called, "the most impressive monument of the Industrial Iron Age in South Wales".
At the Castle you can admire the extensive fine and decorative art collections, including Swansea, Nantgarw and Wedgwood porcelain. Stroll through the atmospheric social and industrial history galleries, which chart the rise of this once great ironmaking town; learn about Richard Trevithick's Penydarren Locomotive of 1804, the first locomotive to pull a load along rails; discover the roots of the Labour movement, from the Merthyr Rising of 1831, and the martyrdom of Dic Penderyn, to the first Labour MP - Keir Hardie; see our 'museum of a museum' including curiosities from around the world - ancient Egyptian grave goods, Greek and Roman artefacts, and Far Eastern decorative arts.
Enjoy the elegant surroundings of this interesting museum and once family home, set in beautiful parkland, on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park.
The museum is a testament to the spirit of the working man, Merthyrs spirit and the story which makes Merthyr so important in history for Wales and Britain as a whole.
If you miss this museum whilst you are staying in Merthyr you have missed a treat!
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Every effort is made to make sure that all the information is correct but we strongly recommend that you call Cyfarthfa Castle Museum and Art Gallery before you set off on your day out to confirm opening times and admission prices.
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