National Museum & Gallery of Wales

Cardiff, Co. Cardiff

Housed in the splendid neoclassic buildings of Cathays Park, the Museum and Gallery exhibits a unique mix of art, archaeology, geology and natural history from Wales and the rest of the world.

The excellent Evolution of Wales exhibition documents the creation of Wales from its formation to human settlement, through multi-media displays on the country’s geology, archaeology and natural history. Highlights include the skeleton of a humpback whale which was washed up on the welsh coast, a collection of ancient coins from the Milford Haven treasure and other artefacts left by Celtic, Roman and Viking settlers in Wales.

The Museum’s art collection is drawn from over 500 years of paintings, sculptures and ceramics which include the largest collection of impressionist paintings outside Paris and an excellent collection of 17th Century Welsh portraits and landscapes from eminent Welsh artists such as Richard Wilson. Many of the art treasures in the Gallery were bequeathed in 1952 by the Davies sisters, Gwendoline and Margaret, granddaughters of local industrialist David Davies.

Admission to the museum is free though there may be charges for entrance to temporary exhibitions.