Cynon Valley Museum Reopens
Cynon Valley Museum has reopened to the public for the first time in 7 months following its temporary closure as result of the change in Welsh Government guidance in the build-up to the Christmas period.
Richard Jones, Chair of the board of Trustees said;
“The last year has been incredibly difficult for the Trust and the museum over the last 15 months we have only been able to open for 3 weeks. We would like to say thank you to everyone who has supported us through the pandemic from members of the public who have generously donated to the museum to funders who have made crucial funding available throughout the last year to keep the museum open”
Richard Jones added;
“Everyone at Cynon Valley Museum Trust are delighted to be open again, it is wonderful to be able to engage with the community and welcome them back. Our community have so generously supported the museum since it reopened in 2016 and who will remain crucial to our recovery and success over the next few years and beyond. We are very aware that the next few years will be crucial for the museum’s development as we push to get back to the position we were in before the pandemic.”
Cynon Valley Museum will be open three days a week, Thursday to Saturday, between the hours of 11am and 3pm. Initially only the ground floor of the museum will be open. Sadly, the museum’s café will not be reopening at this time. The Museum’s Board of Trustees are currently making plans for the next steps for the cafe, and will be making further announcements in relation to the future of the cafe in due course.
The museum is planning to expand opening hours and days as it returns to normality.
Barbara Castle: Working Valleys
Barbara Castle Working Valleys
The museum’s opening coincides with the opening of the exhibition “Working Valleys” by artist Barbara Castle. In the exhibition she explores the unique landscape of the South Wales Valleys. She says: “When you shut your eyes and think of the Valleys of South Wales, this is what you see – a unique vernacular, a particular grain to the pattern of man in the landscape. An aesthetic formed out of the mining history of the place – long lines, clean cut angles and shapes, rectilinear forms, stones, slates, the predominantly grey monotone splashed with the occasional blues and reds of engineering brick trim.”
Barbara Castle: What Do We Do Now?
Find out more by following the link here
See the digital exhibition Working Valleys here
You can see Barbara Castle’s exhibition online and at Cynon Valley Museum until Saturday 31st July.
Thank you
Cynon Valley Museum Trust would like to say thank you to National Lottery Heritage Fund, Welsh Government’s Museums Archives and Library Division, Moondance Foundation and Pen y Cymoedd Wind Farm Community Fund and Rhondda Cynon Taf CBC for providing essential funding to assist and support the museum during its closure, and to enable the museum to invest in essential equipment and PPE so that it could reopen to the public.
Cynon Valley Museum still needs your support we reopen the museum we still face a long journey to becoming financial stable. To support the museum at this difficult time you can become a Friend of the Museum or make a regular donation to the Trust. Follow the links below to become a Friend or make a donation.
