St Fagans National Museum of History, located just outside Cardiff, is one of Europe’s leading open-air museums and Wales’s most popular heritage attraction. Established in 1948 on the grounds of the 16th-century St Fagans Castle—donated by the Earl of Plymouth—the museum was inspired by Scandinavian models and spearheaded by folklorist Iorwerth Peate. It was the first national open-air museum in the UK, aiming to reflect the everyday lives of ordinary Welsh people. Over the decades, more than 50 historic buildings from across Wales have been carefully dismantled and reconstructed on the 100-acre site, including a medieval church, a Victorian school, and a row of ironworkers’ cottages.
Visitors can explore a rich tapestry of Welsh history through immersive exhibits and live demonstrations of traditional crafts such as blacksmithing, weaving, and baking. The museum also features working farms with native livestock breeds and beautifully maintained gardens, from formal Italian designs to practical cottage plots. Recent additions include the Bryn Eryr Iron Age farmstead and Llys Llywelyn, a reconstruction of a medieval prince’s hall. In 2019, St Fagans was awarded the Art Fund Museum of the Year, recognizing its innovative approach to storytelling and community engagement. Admission is free, making it an accessible and enriching destination for all ages.