Heledd Fychan Canol De Cymru - South Wales Central

Plaid Cymru MS Heledd Fychan, is urging families across South Wales Central to embrace the brand-new Wales History Trails Passport Challenge, after its successful launch during this year’s Welsh Museums Festival. Taking place between 28 October and 5 November, the Festival is supported by the Welsh Government and aims to increase museum visibility and footfall.

A range of local museums took part in the Festival this year, with Cynon Valley Museum, Museum of Cardiff, Pontypridd Museum, and Rhondda Heritage Park Museum among the 45+ museums taking part the length and breadth of Wales.

New for this year is the Wales History Trails Passport Challenge, inviting participants to visit six museums by 14 April 2024 to be in with a chance to win National Trust family day passes and Beat Studio 3 headphones.

Heledd Fychan MS, who herself worked in the museums sector in Wales, before becoming a member of the Senedd said: ‘This year’s festival has been a fantastic success and it’s wonderful to see so many local museums in South Wales Central getting involved. The Passport Challenge offers an added incentive to visit museums up until April, and explore Wales' rich cultural heritage.”

This year’s Festival included a variety of family-friendly events, including Halloween activities based on a specially commissioned booklet written by children’s author Casia Wiliam on the Celtic Halloween. For example, Pontypridd Museum’s wizarding workshops were fully booked in record time and Museum of Cardiff, Rhondda Heritage Park Museum and Cynon Valley Museums were all included in a special trail spotlighting Wales’ diverse history and culture – this year’s Festival theme. 

Rachael Rogers, from the Welsh Museums Federation, said: "This year’s Festival has showcased the work done by museums across the country, promoting Welsh heritage and language. And it has offered free events in welcoming spaces, which are more important than ever."

For more information about the Passport Challenge and participating museums visit: www.museums.wales/passport