From famous poets, to medieval castles. The Industrial Revolution to antient Egyptian artefacts. You'd be surprised on what you can learn on a day out in Swansea!
From famous poets, to medieval castles, and even antient Egyptian artefacts. Swansea has a rich heritage available at your finger tips. We have got together some of the city’s cultural highlights so you can take a trip back in time!
Situated in the city centre and heart of the Maritime Quarter, the National Waterfront is the first of our must-see historical attractions. Telling the story of the industrial revolution in Wales, dating all the way back to 300 years ago, this museum offers a wonderful mix of old and new developments which have helped to shape the Swansea you know today. Covering topics including transport, materials, and networks, this museum contains artefacts dating back to the 1930’s, all contained within an original listed warehouse and ultra-modern glass extension. With new exhibitions being introduced all the time, there is always something new to see. Just turn up on the day, no need to book, and it’s all for free.
Admission: Free
Opening Hours: 10am – 5pm Daily
Parking: St. David’s MSCP Pay and Display
Contact: 0300 111 2 333
Website: [email protected]
Location: Oystermouth Road, Maritime Quarter, Swansea, SA1 3RD
On a 40-foot limestone-ridge, Oystermouth Castle boasts breath-taking views of the glorious Swansea Bay. The 12th century castle’s grounds are open all year round, and offer a lovely location for a summer picnic or peaceful dog walk. If it’s the history that you are visiting for, then be sure to visit during the castles open season, between 2nd April and 30th September, and weekends throughout October, when the gates are open and you can venture inside. Experienced volunteers are always on hand, should you want to upgrade your experience to a guided-tour for just £1.50 more. The castle also hosts open-air theatre nights, where they take the stage to perform classic plays suitable for all the family. So, pack a picnic, and pick a spot on the lawn, and enjoy this unique offering. For more information on this, visit their website.
Admission: Standard £5, Concessions £4, Family £15
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 11am – 5pm
Parking: 3 Car Parks in Oystermouth Village, or Underhill Car Parks
Contact: 07557 481467
Website: [email protected]
Location: Castle Ave, The Mumbles, Swansea SA3 4BA
If literature is your passion, then a trip to the birthplace of the genius 20th century Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas, can’t be missed. Found in the heart of Uplands, this unique cultural experience, won ‘best small attraction in Swansea Bay 2019’, for it’s exceptionally accurate representation of a 20th century family home, and historically listed house. Along with it’s popular guided tours, ‘Number 5 Cymdonkin Drive’ also offers traditional Edwardian dinners and buffets, and even accommodation within the home, an ‘utterly enchanting’ experience voted ‘Special place to stay 2014’.
Admission (Tours): £8 Adults, £24 family
Opening Hours: Wednesday’s & Sunday’s (Pre-book)
Parking: Street parking
Contact: 01792472555
Website:[email protected]
Location: 5 Cywmdonkin Drive, Uplands, Swansea, SA2 ORA
Nestled within a beautiful wild forest in picturesque Parkmill, this 12th century working water powered mill is a rare find. The corn mill forms part of the powerful Le Breos Family estate, and today, along with it’s fully-functional corn mill, offers a fantastic range of exhibits, facilities, and evens, all celebrating its contribution to Swansea’s history. Their fantastic guided tour includes a visit to the corn mill and woollen mill, the last intact working wheel in the Gower, the restored 18th century Mill cottage, the farming museum, and a fully-functioning blacksmiths. You can also book onto their flour making sessions, and get full immersed into the mill experience.
The heritage centre also includes ‘The Mill Shop’, as well as local businesses selling anything from handmade jewellery, to local pressed cider, to fresh bread from the bakery, all authentic to the period.
Admission: Adults £5 (Including parking), children (£2), Under 2’s go free.
Opening Hours: 10am – 5pm, 7 days a week
Parking: On-site, free for 15 minutes, £4 per car
Contact: 01792 371 206
Website: https://www.gowerheritagecentre.co.uk/
Location: Gower Heritage Centre, Parkmill, Gower, Swansea, SA3 2EH
Found within Swansea University’s Singleton Campus, the ‘fascinating’ Egypt Centre is home to an impressive 5000 artefacts dating back as far as 3100 B.C. Guide yourself around their antient offerings, or enlist the help of the ‘extremely knowledgeable and helpful volunteers’, who couldn’t be praised enough in their reviews. Visitors loved being shown how to write their name in hieroglyphs, and how to prepare a mummy. There really is fun for all the family!
Admission: Free
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 10am – 4pm
Parking: No campus parking on Weekdays. The nearest car park is the Pay & Display at Pub on the Pond run by Swansea Council, which is a short walk away from the Museum. Use postcode SA2 8PR for Sat Navs.
Contact: (01792) 295960
Website: [email protected]
Location: Taliesin Building, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP
Found in the city centre at the end of Wind Street, Swansea Museum is the oldest museum in Wales. Their assortment of exhibits includes everything from a Welsh Kitchen, to taxidermy, to an air-raid shelter and ‘Hor’ the Egyptian mummy, all contained within 6 galleries, and always being refreshed with new displays. If it’s art you are interested in, ‘Art UK’ was launched in the museum in 2016, showing off oil paintings and the stories behind them. Before you leave, why not pop-into the Museum shop, and grab yourself a souvenir. They also have a ‘Book Cwtch’ crammed full with local history books available to buy.
Admission: Free
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 4:30pm
Parking: 4 free parking spaces at the front, and 5 at the back. There are also 5, 2-hour no return parking spaces across the road. The nearest car park is northwest of the museum, across the A4067 on York Street – the City Gates NCP car park. (248 spaces) (£3.50 for 2 hours)
Contact: 01792 653763
Website: [email protected]
Location: Swansea Museum, Victoria Road, The Maritime Quarter, Swansea, SA1 1SN