Cyfarthfa Castle in Merthyr Tydfil welcomed over 59,000 visitors in 2025, an increase of 75% on the previous year. The growth in attendance follows the year-long Cyfarthfa200 campaign, which celebrated the historic castle’s bicentenary with over 200 events and activities.
2025 was an exciting dual celebration for Cyfarthfa as Their Majesties The King and Queen also visited Cyfarthfa Castle to meet members of the local community, businesses and well-known Welsh cultural figures, to celebrate His Majesty’s 77th birthday. During the year it was also announced that the iconic Cyfarthfa Heritage Area would receive £4.5 million to undertake urgent conservation works. Welsh Government - through its historic environment service Cadw - and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council are each contributing £2.25 million to address the deterioration to the oldest part of Cyfarthfa Castle as well as protecting Pont-y-Cafnau bridge.
To coincide with the bicentenary of Cyfarthfa Castle, BBC Cymru Wales broadcast a collection of programmes celebrating the history, the culture, and the people of Merthyr, which was accessed by 1.7million people.
An estimated 12,000 people attended Cyfarthfa200 events, which ranged from creative workshops and community exhibitions to outdoor trails and historic talks. Led by the Cyfarthfa Foundation and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, the programme was brought to life by the Cyfarthfa Museum and Art Gallery team, the Foundation and a diverse range of local organisations and individuals across Cyfarthfa Park, the local community and the wider borough.
Highlights included the Cyfarthfa Birthday weekend celebrations at the castle with an incredible array of activities, including an artisan market, storytelling sessions, bug trails, a Victorian portrait studio, free access to the museum and art gallery and a programme of lectures focussed on the castle’s impressive heritage.
Later in the year, hundreds gathered for Christmas at Cyfarthfa Park which included the switch on of the famous Sequoia tree lights and a light-projection on the castle itself.
Other highlights included a vibrant Cyfarthfa200 mural by local artist Tee2Sugars in the town centre, commissioned by the Cyfarthfa Foundation; the launch of the giant Storytelling Chair in Cyfarthfa Park by Merthyr’s Roots and Friends of Cyfarthfa Park; Merthyr Half Marathon being redirected through the park for the first time; and the inaugural ‘Juxtaposed’ art prize encouraging emerging Welsh artists to explore and respond to the museum’s impressive collection.
The Cyfarthfa200 campaign was amplified by a multi-channel marketing and engagement campaign which saw celebratory flags on lampposts around the town, and happy birthday messages from Merthyr legends and Welsh icons including Julien Macdonald, Steve Spiers and Ruth Jones.
Thanks to recent Welsh Government funding, Cyfarthfa Castle and Museum is currently closed for internal works, but is due to reopen in the coming weeks to welcome visitors back for its 2026 programme of activity.
Jess Mahoney, Chief Executive of the Cyfarthfa Foundation said “The increase in visitor numbers to Cyfarthfa in 2025 demonstrates the increasing popularity and growing interest of this historic site. This is a pivotal time as we continue to advocate for the development of Cyfarthfa, work with the council to build an application to the National Heritage Lottery Fund, and make the case for investment with key funders.
“I would like to sincerely thank all of the organisations and individuals who worked with us to make Cyfarthfa200 such a fantastic success for Merthyr. We are already working on ambitious plans to ensure this momentum continues, in 2026 and for the next two hundred years.”
Councillor Brent Carter, Leader of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, said: “Cyfarthfa Castle is at the heart of our town’s identity and heritage, and the success of the Cyfarthfa200 campaign shows just how proud our community is of its history and culture. A 75% increase in visitors is a remarkable achievement and reflects the hard work of everyone involved. We are committed to working with partners to secure the investment needed to protect and enhance Cyfarthfa for future generations, ensuring it continues to be a source of pride and opportunity for Merthyr Tydfil.”
The Cyfarthfa200 campaign was supported by UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, via Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council.