The National Waterfront Museum
The National Waterfront Museum things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
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The National Waterfront Museum, Swansea or NWMS is a museum in Swansea, Wales, forming part of Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales. It is an Anchor Point of ERIH, The European Route of Industrial Heritage.
attractions: Parc Tawe Retail Park, Delta Hotels Swansea, Plantasia Tropical Zoo, Swansea Marina, The Grand Hotel, Swansea Castle, Morgans Hotel, Swansea Museum, BUNKERS! Swansea, Marina Park, restaurants: Turtle Bay Swansea, The Bank Statement, Swansea Grand Theatre, Las Iguanas - Swansea, Pump House, The Potters Wheel - JD Wetherspoon, Slug & Lettuce - Swansea, Nines Global Buffet, The Waterfront Beefeater, Awa Grill House ( Restaurant )
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Description
The National Waterfront Museum, Swansea or NWMS is a museum in Swansea, Wales, forming part of Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales. It is an Anchor Point of ERIH, The European Route of Industrial Heritage.
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You can immerse into the centuries old heritage of Swansea and Wales 🏴 at large inside this modern-looking National Waterfront Museum! Entry is FREE 🆓! A lot to take on! Very intelligently and conveniently, the Musuem has developed many interactive displays - these are very effective and useful for engaging & learning about the history! Design and layout of the Musuem is quite extraordinary with appropriate Signages across the site! Easy to follow! Some of the permanent exhibitions are of great historic landmarks including Coal Industries, Copperworks, Industrial 🏭 Nation, "Copperopolis", Bustling Marina ⛵ Docks, Industrial Maritime of Wales, Swansea Valley Landscapes, People of Swansea lived for centuries! One of the amazing experiences is the Virtual Experience of 19th Century Swansea - delving into 1851 and finding about people lived the area surrounding the Musuem! 😮😯🧑🎓🎦🎞️📽️🎥🤔🤔 A cafe and a Souvenir Shop are also available inside the Musuem! Another great viewing option is the Marina Balcony facing the wonderful Swansea Marina Docks! And most importantly, two of the historic boats - the lightship Helwick, a tugboat called Canning - floating on the water can be seen on the right side of the balcony! These boats are the assets of The Swansea Museum and the only two boats that are floating in the water. There are no public access to both the boats! The Musuem organises many Temporary Short Term Exhibitions - nurturing the mind & Soul of the visitors! One of the exhibitions was about the Video Games and different generations of video games - nostalgic experience - brought back childhood memories! They kept at least one of each generation plugged in for visitors to play the game! Wow! That was something - unbelievably nostalgic experience - loved gaming the experience - best games of those days! Overall, a good interactive Musuem with lots of characters! Tour of the Musuem can be part of a fabulous Family Day Out in the Swansea Marina!
Muhammad HaqueMuhammad Haque
30
This is a lovely museum with really friendly staff, but could be a lot better if the exhibits were maintained properly. The Penydaren engine was out for repair which was a pity but nobody's fault. However quite a few of the touch screens didn't work, there was an entire room where the lights in the display cases were broken, the brick making machine and the roller mill both have electric motors attached but the belt was missing from one and neither were working. The worst one though was that there are three big motorised displays, none of which work, meaning that it's impossible to see most of the exhibits in them. We asked and were told that they were broken and they didn't know if they would ever be mended. Give me a bell, I'll have a go at fixing them... As I said though, it's a great museum but the Welsh government just need to find the money to look after it properly or all the money building it will be wasted. It's also badly advertised - there are literally no signs to it on the cycle path and the place was nearly empty. Pity. We had a nice day there though, so not all bad by any means.
Richard StubbsRichard Stubbs
00
This museum is a must-visit attraction in Swansea, offering a rich blend of history and culture. It’s not just a place to learn, but also a place to unwind. The museum offers a captivating journey through Wales' industrial and maritime history, presented in an innovative and engaging manner. The museum, housed in a beautifully restored old dockside warehouse combined with a striking modern extension, blends historical artifacts with cutting-edge technology. Interactive displays, multimedia exhibits, and a wealth of information make the experience both educational and enjoyable for visitors of all ages. One of the museum’s standout features is its emphasis on storytelling, bringing to life the people and industries that shaped modern Wales. From the rise of coal and steel to the impact of shipping and trade, the museum offers a comprehensive look at the country’s transformation over decades. The on-site café provides a welcoming spot to relax. The café offers scenic views of the Swansea marina.
Kothmini SamarakoonKothmini Samarakoon
00
Having researched the place a while before my trip, I had expected to spend a lot more time there than I ended up doing. This was largely down to my heel 👠 being very painful and my lingering opinion on a place I had called at prior to the museum. There are some lovely items on show and I was amazed to see that a lot of display items were not behind glass. I particularly liked the overhead aircraft reminding me of Dastardly and Muttley. The tandem penny farthing also caught my eye 👁. 👁. "I'm driving"..... "No, you're not". My opinion of this museum would have also been tinged by thoughts of another museum I had seen last year. This museum is quality throughout but it did not have items from such a wide number of industries. Having said all that, I must point out that there was information and videos on a number of important people from over the years. From memory, the museum is open from 10 till 5, so it is up to you how much time you spend there. Admission is free.
Anthony RoskeAnthony Roske
10
We visited the National Waterfront Museum today, for the first time. Great that this is free to visit. It’s in a nice location on Swansea Waterfront and there’s a lovely view of the waterfront from an open-air terrace on the first floor. The section on the maritime history was nice, with lots of model boats to look at. There’s a good section on the ground floor with lots of old vehicles - including a Sinclair C5. My children enjoyed the children’s corner for under 5s. It’s got a fixed Brio railway track on a table with several different loops, a little boat galley, big Lego blocks and some puppets. There’s a cafe downstairs. A dedicated room for baby changing. Actually, the nicest baby changing room I’ve used. There’s a soft mat by the baby changing table for safety and a chair with lots of cushions if you wanted somewhere private to feed (I’m fine with feeding in public, but still handy to know it’s there).
Victoria SVictoria S
20
The National Waterfront Museum is a fairly large exhibition giving you an informative glimpse into the industrial heritage of Wales. The museum sits on the marina at the very centre of Swansea and is extremely easy to navigate around. Over two levels there is an incredible amount of interactive displays to keep the children occupied. Entry is Free of charge but there is a suggested donation box of £5 which seems more than reasonable enough to support the upkeep of such a modern building. There is a gift shop on site but we were unable to find a logo magnet to add to our collection so this was a small disappointment. On the ground floor there is a couple of places to grab a bite to eat or just enjoy a hot beverage. All the facilities are kept clean and tidy plus all of the staff we interacted with were warm and welcoming.
Debra SpanswickDebra Spanswick
10
Nearby Attractions Of The National Waterfront Museum
Parc Tawe Retail Park
Delta Hotels Swansea
Plantasia Tropical Zoo
Swansea Marina
The Grand Hotel
Swansea Castle
Morgans Hotel
Swansea Museum
BUNKERS! Swansea
Marina Park

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Nearby Restaurants Of The National Waterfront Museum
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Slug & Lettuce - Swansea
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The Waterfront Beefeater
Awa Grill House ( Restaurant )

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