Swansea Museum
Opened in 1841, this is Wales’ oldest public museum. It was the result of efforts to promote scientific and cultural knowledge by the Royal Institution of South Wales, a learned society established in 1835. The RISW saw the creation of a museum as a key part of its mission to educate the public and preserve local heritage.
The museum’s building on Oystermouth Road was designed by architect Frederick Long with a grand façade, spacious exhibition galleries, a library, lecture theatre and scientific laboratory. The early collection related to natural history, archaeology, industry and ethnography. It reflected local life and wider global connections, including artefacts brought by travellers and scholars when Swansea was a major port.
The collection expanded with items related to Welsh folklore, the copper industry, maritime history and Egyptology. The maritime collection was particularly significant given Swansea’s reputation as ‘Copperopolis’, a global copper-smelting centre in the 19th century. The museum documented this industrial heritage and the lives of the working people who shaped the city.
The museum was damaged during the ‘Three Nights Blitz’ of February 1941. After the Second World War it was refurbished and expanded.
Ownership of the museum building and its collections was transferred to Swansea Council in 1992, reflecting the shift from private to public stewardship of cultural institutions. This helped secure the museum’s future and increased public access.
The museum’s Tramshed, nearby at Swansea Marina, includes a Swansea tram and the front of a Mumbles Railway tram. The museum owns a lightship and tug which are displayed afloat at the marina.
The museum’s collections now exceed half a million objects. Its library and archives hold valuable documents and photos relating to the history of Swansea and South Wales. The museum remains free to enter.
Thanks to Rhys Herbert and Helen Nicholas of the Royal Institution of South Wales
Postcode: SA1 1SN View Location Map