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3 reviews for National Museum & Gallery Cardiff
All Reviews
[Note: In 2010, the National Museum Cardiff is undergoing major building and redevelopment work, and although it's still open throughout there may be some galleries closed and some museum services suspended until the work is complete.]
Located in Cardiff's elegant civic centre, this wonderful city centre museum is free to get in, and showcases art, archaeology, natural history and geology, much of it with a Welsh slant. There is also a lively calendar of events and major touring and temporary exhibitions such as the fantastic Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition (on from now until 12 September 2010!).
I think there's too much to see here in one visit, and perhaps saving the art for a separate day is a good move.
The museum's permanent exhibits include all sorts of interesting themes including the story of Wales's history. You can find out about its evolution from the very beginnings to the present day, starting in outer space with the Big Bang and taking you on a 4,600 million-year journey through the dinosaur era in Wales - even bringing you face to face with a massive woolly mammoth!
The art collection is also extensive and impressive (and as I said before probably best appreciated on a separate visit) spanning 500 years of paintings, drawings, sculpture, silver and ceramics from Wales and across the globe. There are some beautiful Italian Renaissance pieces, plus art in Victorian Britain, Welsh landscapes, contemporary craft, pottery and porcelain, beautiful Welsh silver collections, and heaps more.
This is a fantastic building that's worth a look inside if only for it's architecture. There is an abundance of museums in and around the Cardiff area, and for that I am eternally grateful. But the National Museum is the only museum which looks and feels like everything our childhood idea of such establishments requires.
There are sweeping staircases and high ceilings held aloft with marble pillars. There are exhibitions of strange and wonderful animals, cabinets of butterflies and even the odd dinosaur skeleton looming over you and casting creepy shadows on the floor.
I love this museum for its traditional elements, but also the way they manage to incorporate much more contemporary exhibitions at the same time.
I'm liking the way Nathan J. has started these - by each exhibit rather than for the museum as a whole. It seems that most of the exhibits are quite regularly changing.
So: The Evolution Of Wales:
My friend and I felt as though we needed some culture in our lives. So, making the most obvious stop, we headed on over to the museum. We weren't quite saw which direction to take because the museum is much bigger than it first appears. When you go in you can go left, right, or straight on - and then you're lost for days!
We stumbled upon this exhibit quite by accident because we didn't know where we were but I had a great time. It tells the story of the history of Wales since... well, since the beginning of time. We wandered through a twisting, exciting exhibit of photos, artefacts and videos. Most of the rock samples were out - meaning that you were able to touch them (not sure if you're meant to do that...but I did) which I feel really adds something to the experience.
The dinosaur section was good - lots of skeletons and descriptions about odd bones. Unfortunately, much of the exhibit didn't quite live up to this. There was one part which was explaining about rock slides and there was just a pile of rock in front of the painted background... it seemed to be a lazy way of filling up space.
Having said that, I enjoyed myself greatly. I just think my expectations were too high - nothing can live up to the Natural History Museum in London! Although, do keep an eye out for the ice age animals - moving woolly mammoth and Bertie the Buffalo were two of my favourites.
Great for children but lacking something of the magic of better museums.