Celtica (visitor centre) facts for kids

Celtica was an educational visitor centre located in Machynlleth, Wales. It opened in 1995 and aimed to teach people about ancient Celtic life. The centre was built inside and next to Plas Machynlleth, a historic building.

What Was Celtica?

Celtica was designed to show visitors what life was like for the Celts. It featured realistic figures of people and animals. These were placed in a recreated round-house village. To make it feel even more real, sounds of people, animals, and daily life played constantly. This helped visitors imagine themselves in Celtic times.

Building the Centre

The idea for Celtica came from the local government. The District Council of Montgomeryshire started the project. They turned the Plas building into the Celtica Guest Centre in 1995. The total cost to build Celtica was about £3 million. Part of the money came from a grant by the European Union. Famous Welsh opera singer Bryn Terfel officially opened the centre in 1995.

Why Did Celtica Close?

Celtica was popular for many years, attracting tourists and school groups. However, the number of visitors was not as high as first expected. When Powys County Council took over Celtica in 1997, they found it was too expensive to keep running. They decided to stop supporting it financially. Because of this, Celtica closed its doors in March 2006.

What Happened to Plas Machynlleth?

After Celtica closed, the Plas Machynlleth building was empty for a while. Powys County Council wanted to sell it. However, the Machynlleth Town Council believed the Plas belonged to the community. They started talks with Powys Council to take ownership. On April 1, 2008, the Machynlleth Town Council took control of the Plas. This was a big step for a local council of its size.

Today, the Plas Machynlleth is still in use. The restaurant has reopened, run by a local business. The upper floors of the main building are rented out as office space. Meeting rooms and conference areas are also available to hire.