National Museum Cardiff is a museum and art gallery in Cardiff, Wales. The museum is part of the wider network of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales. Entry is kept free by a grant from the Welsh Government; however, they do ask for donations throughout the museum.
With a busy programme of exhibitions and events, we have something to amaze everyone, whatever your interest – and admission is free!
Situated in the heart of Cardiff’s elegant civic centre, it houses Wales’s national art, geology and natural history collections as well as major touring and temporary exhibitions.
The art collection at National Museum Cardiff is one of Europe’s finest.
See five hundred years of magnificent paintings, drawings, sculpture, silver and ceramics from Wales and across the world, including one of Europe’s best collections of Impressionist art.
Take an amazing journey in The Evolution of Wales from the very beginnings of time to the present day. The story begins in space with the Big Bang and takes you on a 4,600 million-year journey, bringing you face to face with dinosaurs and woolly mammoths along the way. Find out how life evolved in Wales and which dinosaurs roamed the land.
Witness Wales’s diverse natural history on an expedition that begins at the seashore and ends in the mountains. Experience some of the unique environments that make Wales home to over 900 Sites of Special Scientific Interest
The Clore Discovery Centre offers hands-on exploration of museum objects such as insects, fossils and Bronze Age weapons and invites you to get to grips with some of the 7.5 million items normally buried away in our stores.
Opening Hours
Open 10am–5pm. Galleries close at 4.45pm.
Open for four days per week – every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday – until further notice.
Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. For safety reasons, we reserve the right to conduct bag searches when entering the museum.
All visitors entering the site will need to have booked a free ticket in advance
Parking
A Visitor Car Park is situated behind the Museum, off Museum Avenue. Visitors parking here must purchase an exit token from the Museum shop for £6.50.
Parking is free to disabled badge holders. Please take your blue badge to the Museum shop when purchasing your token. On-road disabled parking bays are also available at the front of the Museum, on Gorsedd Gardens Road.
Physical Mobility
- There are designated parking bays for Blue Badge holders to the rear of the Visitor Car Park, accessed via Museum Avenue. Blue Badge holders are entitled to free parking; please take your blue badge to the Museum shop to obtain an exit token. There is a level access path to and from the Visitor Car Park via Park Place and Museum Avenue. There are also designated disabled parking bays in front of the Museum on Gorsedd Gardens Road.
- The entrance to the Museum for wheelchair users and families with pushchairs is via a gate to the left of the front steps. Pressing the intercom will bring assistance.
- There is wheelchair access to all galleries. Most galleries can be visited independently, but lifts to some galleries must be operated by a Museum Assistant for security reasons. There are signs indicating the location and operating instructions of all lifts. Museum staff are nearby to help.
- Four wheelchairs and six mobile seating sticks are available on loan from the Information desk on request. These are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.
- A variety of seating is available throughout the Museum.
- Please be aware that there are uneven floor levels throughout the Evolution of Wales exhibition and in some of the Natural History galleries; please take care in these areas.
- The Reardon Smith Lecture Theatre has a viewing platform with six designated spaces for wheelchair users. Access to the Theatre is from the rear of the Visitor Car Park or via a level access pathway from Park Place.
Blind and Partially Sighted
- We can offer free Audio Description tours for groups, and guided assistance for individual visitors. Advance notice is required. Please call us at (029) 2057 3240 to discuss your needs.
- The Evolution of Wales, Natural History and Man & the Environment galleries all have audio material to support the visual exhibits.
- Some of the natural science galleries have low light levels but walkways, text panels are exhibits are clearly illuminated.
- A touch trail is available in the Natural History galleries.
- All Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales marketing material is available in large print. Please telephone (029) 2057 3171.
- Some of our marketing material is available on a CD. Please telephone (029) 2057 3171.
Hearing Impaired
- An Induction Loop is provided in the Evolution of Wales gallery, the Information desk, Shop, Restaurant and Coffee Shop counters and in the Reardon Smith Theatre. A mobile induction loop is available for use in the meeting and learning rooms.
- Most galleries and exhibits have a good standard of written material to support the collections.
Dogs
- Only assistance dogs are allowed on site.
- Drinking water is available on request from the Oriel Restaurant or Coffee Shop.
- Dogs must leave the premises to relieve themselves and staff will assist in identifying a suitable area.
Facilities
- The Museum Shop, Coffee Shop and Oriel Restaurant are accessible to wheelchair users.
- Accessible toilets are situated in the Oriel Restaurant.
- Baby changing facilities are situated in the Oriel Restaurant.
