Current Exhibitions
Remembering the Cockle Women
A bite-sized exhibition has been cooked up to celebrate the history of the Penclawdd cockle industry. The display includes loans of photographs, prints, and paintings from the descendants of the industry’s long-established families. Many of these items have never been seen by the public before. A short documentary film will be the seasoning on top of this delectable display.
Make sure to visit us for a taste of Swansea’s attachment with this tiny bivalve.
Wales’ First Museum
The Royal Institution of South Wales or RISW, was established in 1835. The founding members opened Wales’ first major museum in 1841. This is now Swansea Museum, which remains a thriving centre of culture.
A recently published book sets its story in context in local, national, and international terms. Leading specialists describe the formation of the Museum’s many and varied collections. These include geology, natural history, botany, archaeology, Egyptology, photography, the decorative arts, historical records, coins, maps, and costume.
The museum has been operated by Swansea Council since the early 1990s. However, the RISW is still an active group and strong supporters of the museum as its friends’ group. This exhibition celebrates their new book and our wonderful heritage. Contained within this exhibition are key items from the museum’s collections, which have been highlighted in the book. Some of the objects are on display for the first time.
“… in the late 1940s and 1950s the view of Swansea from the East was arresting to put it mildly. Across the foreground lay the lunar desolation of Landore and Llansamlet.
Beyond, the shattered town centre was being rebuilt with a pretentiousness totally lacking in character … Yet the town was a nest of singing birds. Its most famous son described it as the most romantic place he knew.”
Mr. Rollo Charles.
Swansea has undergone many changes throughout its history, and the 20th Century saw some of the most significant of those changes. Plans for modernisation began with the ‘Homes for Heroes’ programme and the building of the Guildhall. Then the devastation caused by the Blitz during WWII meant that rebuilding the centre became necessary, and not just desirable.
‘Twentieth Century Swansea’ is inspired by rarely seen photographic archives from people who recorded the change from troubled town to hopeful city. The museum has opened up its collection of artefacts and ephemera to be displayed alongside these testaments of change. It is a story that can never be completely covered, but we hope it can provide a fascinating little glimpse into that ‘nest of singing birds.’
A Very Natural History
People have an undeniable fascination with nature. This is clearly illustrated by the range of our natural history collection. From dried plants to pressed shrews, the museum has an impressive amount of flora and fauna. While it is usually no longer necessary to collect and preserve natural history specimens in this way, there is still a lot to be learnt about the motivation for the original practice.
Upcoming Exhibitions
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