Cardiff
Wales's most-visited heritage attraction standing in the grounds of the magnificent St Fagans Castle, located on the outskirts of Cardiff.
St Fagans is one of world’s leading open–air museums and Wales’s most-visited heritage attraction. It stands in the grounds of the magnificent St Fagans Castle, a late 16th-century manor house donated to the people of Wales by the Earl of Plymouth. During the last fifty years, over fifty original buildings from different locations in Wales and from different historical periods have been re-built in the 100-acre parkland. Each building is frozen in time and opens a door into Welsh history offering a fascinating glimpse into the past.
See how people in Wales have lived, worked and spent their leisure time. The re-erected buildings include farmhouses, a row of ironworkers’ cottages, a medieval church, a Victorian school, a chapel and a splendid Workmen’s Institute.
The gardens at St Fagans are among the best in Wales. You will walk through elegant formal gardens of St Fagans castle or see the cottage gardens that provided food for working families. Native breeds of livestock can be seen in the fields and farmyards, and demonstrations of farming tasks take place daily.
There are also workshops where craftsmen still demonstrate their traditional skills. Their produce is usually on sale. Come and see one of the last working clogmakers in Wales or meet the blacksmith. There is a weaver working in an 18th century woolen mill and a miller producing flour in the 19th century corn mill.
Visitors gain an insight into the rich heritage and culture of Wales, and the Welsh language can be heard in daily use amongst craftsmen and interpreters.
Throughout the year, St Fagans comes to life — literally — as traditional festivals, music and dance events are celebrated. St Fagans explores all aspects of how people in Wales have lived, worked and spent their leisure time. Like generations of visitors, you will be inspired by its celebration of Welsh traditions and lifestyles.
We recommend that you allow at least 3 hours for your visit. The Museum is the number one attraction in ‘Things to do in Cardiff’ as voted by users of TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel review site.
The Museum is also a popular film location. Several episodes of Dr Who have been filmed at the Museum, and scenes from BBC’s 2015 production of Poldark were filmed in two farmhouses.
The Museum has received funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Welsh Government to completely transform the visitor experience and change the way people engage with Welsh history. We’re going to open new gallery spaces to tell the more of the stories of the people of Wales. New historic structures on archaeological finds include Iron Age roundhouses and a medieval prince’s hall.
Network Rider
If you're travelling by bus to Cardiff City Centre and then onto St Fagans, a Network Rider ticket is the best option for you - use it on Cardiff Bus routes and most other bus routes in South East Wales.