Welsh Industrial and Maritime Museum facts for kids
| Amgueddfa Diwydiant a Môr Cymru | |
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| Established | 1977 |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | 1 June 1998 |
| Location | Butetown, Cardiff, Wales |
| Owner | National Museums and Galleries of Wales |
| Public transit access | Cardiff Bute Road railway station  Cardiff Bus 8  |
The Welsh Industrial and Maritime Museum was a special place in Butetown, Cardiff, Wales. It showed off the amazing history of industry and the sea in Wales. This museum was part of the National Museums and Galleries of Wales. It first opened its doors in 1977. Sadly, it closed down just 22 years later in 1998. This happened before the big changes in Cardiff Bay.
Contents
Exploring Welsh History
The museum was built to help people learn about Wales's industrial past. Construction started in October 1974. It was a great place to see how things were made and how people worked.
What You Could See
The museum had many interesting things to explore. You could see old cars, a bus, and even a tram. There was a real lighthouse, which helped ships find their way. A special figurehead from HMS Hamadryad was also on display.
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One of the coolest exhibits was the Sea Alarm tugboat. Tugboats are powerful boats that push or pull other ships. The museum also had a copy of Richard Trevithick's 1803 locomotive, Pen-y-Darren. This was one of the very first steam trains!
Docks and Coal Mining
A big part of the museum showed the history of the docks in Cardiff. It also taught visitors about coal mining in South Wales. Coal mining was a very important industry for Wales for many years.
Why the Museum Closed
The Welsh Industrial and Maritime Museum closed on June 1, 1998. It had to make way for a new shopping area called Mermaid Quay. All the cool things from the museum were sent to other museums. Sadly, the Sea Alarm tugboat was taken apart.
A New Museum for Wales
It took a few years to decide where to put a new museum like it. Finally, a new location was chosen in Swansea. The National Waterfront Museum opened there in 2005. This new museum continues to share the stories of Wales's industry and maritime history.
