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Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales

Introduction

CROESO! Welcome to the Department of Industry.

Wales has a long and proud tradition as an industrial nation. The 1851 census records that it was the first nation in the world to have a higher proportion of its workforce employed in industry rather than in agriculture.

Wales can therefore claim to be 'the world's first industrial nation'. Its industries have always been varied, and even today as once-mighty industries decline, new ones take their place.

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Read more stories about our collections on our Rhagor website.

Nowhere is there a better selection of artefacts and illustrations reflecting those changes than amongst our collections, and we invite you to browse our website at your leisure and discover more about the industrial heritage of one of the most fascinating places on Earth.

  • National Museum Cardiff

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    Discover art, archaeology, natural history and geology. With a busy programme of exhibitions and events, we have something to amaze everyone, whatever your interest – and admission is free!

  • St Fagans: National History Museum

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    St Fagans is one of Europe's foremost open-air museums and Wales's most popular heritage attraction.

  • Big Pit: National Coal Museum

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    Big Pit is a real coal mine and one of Britain's leading mining museums. With facilities to educate and entertain all ages, Big Pit is an exciting and informative day out.

  • National Wool Museum

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    Located in the historic former Cambrian Mills, the Museum is a special place with a spellbinding story to tell.

  • National Roman Legion Museum

    [image: National Roman Legion Museum]

    In AD 75, the Romans built a fortress at Caerleon that would guard the region for over 200 years. Today at the National Roman Legion Museum you can learn what made the Romans a formidable force and how life wouldn't be the same without them.

  • National Slate Museum

    [image: National Slate Museum]

    The National Slate Museum offers a day full of enjoyment and education in a dramatically beautiful landscape on the shores of Llyn Padarn.

  • National Waterfront Museum

    [image: National Waterfront Museum]

    The National Waterfront Museum at Swansea tells the story of industry and innovation in Wales, now and over the last 300 years.

  • Rhagor: Explore our collections

    Rhagor (Welsh for ‘more’) offers unprecedented access to the amazing stories that lie behind our collections.