Spring has most definitely sprung here at Cyfarthfa. In recent weeks – with longer days, Easter holidays, and some dry weather – it’s been wonderful to watch as the park bursts back into life and the community come out to enjoy the space.
This was especially evident for our recent ‘Easter Eggstravaganza’ which saw well over 1000 people join us and other park organisations for a fun-filled day of activities including egg-decorating, storytelling with the woodland fairy, geology quizzes and forest trails. At this time of year we’re also especially grateful for the hard work done by our Parks Department at Merthyr Council in keeping the area looking beautiful, and the grass neatly trimmed ready for lots of picnics in the months ahead.
In line with the spirit of rejuvenation, we’ve also been unveiling some new branded signs across the park. Located in key locations, this is the first phase of a larger programme to upgrade the signage, wayfinding and interpretation in the park, making it easier for visitors to locate key attractions and facilities, improve safety, and also share information on Cyfarthfa’s rich history. Funded through Welsh Government’s Brilliant Basics programme, the signage has been created in iron and pennant stone materials, reflecting both Merthyr Tydfil’s industrial heritage and the castle building.
Whilst conservation work on the castle is currently ongoing, we’ve been continuing to work on progressing the long-term future for the building. In February the Cyfarthfa Foundation and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council jointly submitted an application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund and are currently awaiting feedback. If successful, it could see the oldest parts of the building (where the current museum and gallery is located) developed in the coming years as an enhanced cultural centre with expanded exhibition spaces, upgraded public facilities, dedicated education spaces and hirable rooms for events and celebrations. A lot of work has gone into a very detailed application and will share further information later in the year on how this is progressing.
We’ve also been continuing to celebrate the impact of the Cyfarthfa200 bicentenary campaign, which includes an increase of 75% in visitors to Cyfarthfa Castle in 2025, compared to the previous year. What’s more, the Cyfarthfa200 campaign has been shortlisted in the ‘Marketing and Communications Category’ of the prestigious Museums and Heritage Awards. Known as ‘the Oscars of the museums world’, these awards celebrate the very best cultural and heritage visitor attractions globally. Cyfarthfa is recognised alongside some very prestigious organisations in our category including the Natural History Museum, Imperial War Museums and the Southbank Centre, further proving the site’s huge potential as a nationally significant cultural destination. We will be at the awards in London on May 13 representing all of our valued stakeholders, partners and wider community, without whom the success of Cyfarthfa200 would not have been possible.
Whilst external building works are ongoing, don’t forget that Cyfarthfa Castle Museum and Gallery is very much open for business. Be sure to come and check out some of the recent internal upgrades and also enjoy the current ‘Know Your Place’ exhibition (running until June 13) which uncovers the untold stories of Merthyr’s women and includes stunning new commissions by artists Beth Leahy and Eleanor Whiteman.