Cardiff Story
Encyclopedia
Cardiff Story is a museum
in Cardiff
, Wales
which exhibits the history of the city. The museum will open on 1 April 2011 and entrance will be free. The heritage museum has brought together a collection of 3,000 objects and Cardiff-related artefacts, many donated from Cardiff residents and communities.
. Declared a public holiday
, the building was opened on 31 May 1882 by the Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Alfred Thomas as the Cardiff Free Library, Museum and Schools for Science and Art, which included an art gallery. A competition was held to choose a design for the Cardiff Free Library, Museum and Schools for Science and Art. The winning design was by architects James, Seward and Thomas, erected for just over £9,000. The Schools of Science and Art were housed in the building until 1890 when it moved to buildings that were part of the University College. The Central Library was moved to a new building located on St David’s Link on 3 December 1988,
had been seeking the permanent use of the Old Library since the closure of the Cardiff Centre for Visual Arts in 2000..
The Cardiff Strategic Tourism Growth Area Action Plan, supported by Cardiff Council and Wales Tourist Board (now Visit Wales), looked at major elements essential to developing Cardiff as a tourism destination, and came with £2 million funding towards projects from such as the development of a specific Cardiff Museum. As a result consultants were appointed in 2002 to produce the feasibility study for a Living Museum of Cardiff, jointly funded by Cardiff Council and The Council of Museums in Wales (now CyMAL). The study concluded that an estimated 130,000 visitors per year are expected based on free entry, a city centre site is essential for a museum accessible to visitors and the community, the focus should be on the last 200 years of Cardiff’s industrial rise, and that a strong interactive element is essential with things for children to do, such as sound and film.
Proposals for the development of the Museum Project were approved. This included appointing a Museum Project Officer, based in the Old Library, to undertake exhibitions, workshops and consultation with communities and groups to develop material for the full museum. According to a survey of Cardiff citizens, 81.3% were very or fairly likely to visit a museum dedicated to the history of Cardiff.
Centenary celebrations for Cardiff commenced in 2005; Cardiff having become a city in 1905, and the capital city in 1955. Funding from the Millennium Commission and Cardiff Council for celebratory events financed the Museum Project’s first exhibition programme. Following on from Moving Stories, Cardiff’s Century exhibition opened to give an insight into how the city has changed between 1905 and 2005. 20,947 people visited the exhibition over 6 months. These exhibitions were based on people’s stories with educational content and an interactive element. According to a Cardiff Visitor Survey 2005, an annual survey of around 1,000 visitors to Cardiff, 68% of respondents said they are very or fairly likely to visit a Cardiff museum.
In February 2006, a Capital Scheme bid to Cardiff Council was successful. Revenue commitments for developing the project were approved together with agreement in principle to support the capital costs of £4 million.
In March 2006, the South Wales Echo
launched Our Cardiff Museum campaign, which asked readers what themes should be included in the final museum, what objects and stories they might have available, and generally voiced strong support.
In April and May 2007, as part of the planning process for the new museum, Redman Design and the Cardiff Museum project brought together a diverse group of 25 people representing local history societies, community organisations, historians, archives, libraries, the media, educators, tourism and artists. The group discussed the ‘why’, ‘who’, ‘what’ and ‘how’ of the museum, coming up with ideas that Redman Design would be able to turn into how the museum could look.
In January 2008 a public consultation was held to see the museum plans so far. Most of the suggestions for themes for the museum were incorporated into the designs. This is in addition to the Access, Learning and Young People’s panels and focus groups, who advised on specific aspects of the design and content.
In May 2008, the Scheme Design for the museum was completed.
The first Cardiff Museum Project exhibition, Moving Stories 1905-2005, opened at the Old Library. During its 6 month run it attracted 16,873 visits.
The Cardiff’s War: 1939-1945 exhibition featured at the Old Library in January 2006, attracting 10,390 visits in just 6 weeks.
River and Rail, how Isambard Kingdom Brunel
shaped Cardiff exhibition opened in October 2006.
Roots to Cardiff featured at the museum between February and June 2007. Preprations included interviews with people who would feature in the exhibition, as well as uncovering some interesting objects such as a Gypsy caravan, lent by the Travellers' Education Service.
There is a long tradition of Gypsy families coming to Cardiff as part of their nomadic life.
Bats, Boots and Balls: the highs and lows of sport in Cardiff, closed in November 2007 with over 14,000 visits. Voting for Cardiff ’s Sporting Great in the exhibition was heated but the winner was Colin Jackson
, followed by Ryan Giggs
and Fred Keanor.
Fury of the Waters: how Cardiff faced the floods exhibition opened on 15 December 2007. The exhibition weighed up the evidence for the Great Flood of 1607
being caused by a tsunami or a storm surge. The exhibition also features the skeleton of Billy the Seal
, on loan from National Museum Cardiff
. Over 11,000 people visited the exhibition in the first three months ago and over the Easter holidays the Environment Agency Wales
held a Flood Awareness Roadshow in the gallery. Visitors were able to search on a computer to find out whether their house is at risk of flooding, and took away freebies to make their own ‘emergency flood kit’.
When We Were Young: growing up in Cardiff opened in July 2008. The exhibition brought together a range of stories about growing up in Cardiff over the past 150 years, including work, school, leisure and home life.
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
which exhibits the history of the city. The museum will open on 1 April 2011 and entrance will be free. The heritage museum has brought together a collection of 3,000 objects and Cardiff-related artefacts, many donated from Cardiff residents and communities.
Old Library (1882 to 1988)
Cardiff Story is situated in the Old Library, at the northern end of The HayesThe Hayes
The Hayes is a commercial area in the southern city centre of the Welsh capital, Cardiff. Based around the road of that name leading south towards the east end of the city centre, the area is mostly pedestrianised....
. Declared a public holiday
, the building was opened on 31 May 1882 by the Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Alfred Thomas as the Cardiff Free Library, Museum and Schools for Science and Art, which included an art gallery. A competition was held to choose a design for the Cardiff Free Library, Museum and Schools for Science and Art. The winning design was by architects James, Seward and Thomas, erected for just over £9,000. The Schools of Science and Art were housed in the building until 1890 when it moved to buildings that were part of the University College. The Central Library was moved to a new building located on St David’s Link on 3 December 1988,
Cardiff Story
Cardiff CouncilCardiff Council
The County Council of the City and County of Cardiff is the governing body for Cardiff, one of the Principal Areas of Wales. The council consists of 75 councillors, representing 29 electoral wards. The authority is properly styled as The County Council of the City and County of Cardiff or in...
had been seeking the permanent use of the Old Library since the closure of the Cardiff Centre for Visual Arts in 2000..
The Cardiff Strategic Tourism Growth Area Action Plan, supported by Cardiff Council and Wales Tourist Board (now Visit Wales), looked at major elements essential to developing Cardiff as a tourism destination, and came with £2 million funding towards projects from such as the development of a specific Cardiff Museum. As a result consultants were appointed in 2002 to produce the feasibility study for a Living Museum of Cardiff, jointly funded by Cardiff Council and The Council of Museums in Wales (now CyMAL). The study concluded that an estimated 130,000 visitors per year are expected based on free entry, a city centre site is essential for a museum accessible to visitors and the community, the focus should be on the last 200 years of Cardiff’s industrial rise, and that a strong interactive element is essential with things for children to do, such as sound and film.
Proposals for the development of the Museum Project were approved. This included appointing a Museum Project Officer, based in the Old Library, to undertake exhibitions, workshops and consultation with communities and groups to develop material for the full museum. According to a survey of Cardiff citizens, 81.3% were very or fairly likely to visit a museum dedicated to the history of Cardiff.
Centenary celebrations for Cardiff commenced in 2005; Cardiff having become a city in 1905, and the capital city in 1955. Funding from the Millennium Commission and Cardiff Council for celebratory events financed the Museum Project’s first exhibition programme. Following on from Moving Stories, Cardiff’s Century exhibition opened to give an insight into how the city has changed between 1905 and 2005. 20,947 people visited the exhibition over 6 months. These exhibitions were based on people’s stories with educational content and an interactive element. According to a Cardiff Visitor Survey 2005, an annual survey of around 1,000 visitors to Cardiff, 68% of respondents said they are very or fairly likely to visit a Cardiff museum.
In February 2006, a Capital Scheme bid to Cardiff Council was successful. Revenue commitments for developing the project were approved together with agreement in principle to support the capital costs of £4 million.
In March 2006, the South Wales Echo
South Wales Echo
The South Wales Echo is a daily tabloid newspaper published in Cardiff, Wales and distributed throughout the surrounding area.The newspaper was founded in 1884 and was based in Thomson House, Cardiff city centre. It is published by Media Wales Ltd , part of the Trinity Mirror group...
launched Our Cardiff Museum campaign, which asked readers what themes should be included in the final museum, what objects and stories they might have available, and generally voiced strong support.
In April and May 2007, as part of the planning process for the new museum, Redman Design and the Cardiff Museum project brought together a diverse group of 25 people representing local history societies, community organisations, historians, archives, libraries, the media, educators, tourism and artists. The group discussed the ‘why’, ‘who’, ‘what’ and ‘how’ of the museum, coming up with ideas that Redman Design would be able to turn into how the museum could look.
In January 2008 a public consultation was held to see the museum plans so far. Most of the suggestions for themes for the museum were incorporated into the designs. This is in addition to the Access, Learning and Young People’s panels and focus groups, who advised on specific aspects of the design and content.
In May 2008, the Scheme Design for the museum was completed.
Previous exhibitions
The venue has hosted several exhibitions before its inauguration as a museum.The first Cardiff Museum Project exhibition, Moving Stories 1905-2005, opened at the Old Library. During its 6 month run it attracted 16,873 visits.
The Cardiff’s War: 1939-1945 exhibition featured at the Old Library in January 2006, attracting 10,390 visits in just 6 weeks.
River and Rail, how Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS , was a British civil engineer who built bridges and dockyards including the construction of the first major British railway, the Great Western Railway; a series of steamships, including the first propeller-driven transatlantic steamship; and numerous important bridges...
shaped Cardiff exhibition opened in October 2006.
Roots to Cardiff featured at the museum between February and June 2007. Preprations included interviews with people who would feature in the exhibition, as well as uncovering some interesting objects such as a Gypsy caravan, lent by the Travellers' Education Service.
There is a long tradition of Gypsy families coming to Cardiff as part of their nomadic life.
Bats, Boots and Balls: the highs and lows of sport in Cardiff, closed in November 2007 with over 14,000 visits. Voting for Cardiff ’s Sporting Great in the exhibition was heated but the winner was Colin Jackson
Colin Jackson
Colin Ray Jackson CBE is a British former sprint and hurdling athlete who specialised in the 110 metres hurdles. Over his career representing Great Britain and Wales he won an Olympic silver medal, became world champion three times, went undefeated at the European Championships for 12 years and...
, followed by Ryan Giggs
Ryan Giggs
Ryan Joseph Giggs OBE is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for Manchester United. Giggs made his first appearance for the club during the 1990–91 season and has been a regular player since the 1991–92 season...
and Fred Keanor.
Fury of the Waters: how Cardiff faced the floods exhibition opened on 15 December 2007. The exhibition weighed up the evidence for the Great Flood of 1607
Bristol Channel floods, 1607
The Bristol Channel floods, which occurred on 30 January 1607 , resulted in the drowning of a large number of people and the destruction of a large amount of farmland and livestock...
being caused by a tsunami or a storm surge. The exhibition also features the skeleton of Billy the Seal
Victoria Park, Cardiff
Victoria Park is a public park in the Canton district of Cardiff in south Wales at Cowbridge Road East.As its name suggests, it is a traditional Victorian era park named after Queen Victoria and has retained much of its original charm...
, on loan from National Museum Cardiff
National Museum Cardiff
National Museum Cardiff is a museum and art gallery in Cardiff, Wales. The museum is part of the wider network of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales...
. Over 11,000 people visited the exhibition in the first three months ago and over the Easter holidays the Environment Agency Wales
Environment Agency Wales
Environment Agency Wales is an Assembly Sponsored Public Body. It is that part of the Environment Agency that covers Wales. The Regional divisions of the Environment Agency are based on the concept of catchment management and administrative boundaries therefore follow the watersheds of major rivers...
held a Flood Awareness Roadshow in the gallery. Visitors were able to search on a computer to find out whether their house is at risk of flooding, and took away freebies to make their own ‘emergency flood kit’.
When We Were Young: growing up in Cardiff opened in July 2008. The exhibition brought together a range of stories about growing up in Cardiff over the past 150 years, including work, school, leisure and home life.