Pretty random post, but recently I visited the South Wales Miners Museum after a relative booked a tour for us. It was, to say the least, extremely interesting and even enlightening. Welsh heritage is something that I’ve grown to love dearly alongside this overall beautiful country. For the colliery side, It was never something I would’ve thought I’d ever be interested in, especially to the point I currently am.
I can’t say it ‘broke my heart’ or anything somber when I heard that the experience wasn’t backed by funding from the council or Welsh Government (such as Big Pit), but it did frustrate me somewhat, knowing how intimate this tour was - even given by those who’re ex-coal miners. A large part of the experience was sharing the understanding of community that coal miners and local townsfolk had with one another, with so much more detail than I could describe (You’d have to see it for yourself). So, as much frustration that I have with the idea of no financial support from the Museum of Wales or what have you, I have so much more respect for how humble it truly is, and thats not to say it’s fuelled by pity. It is GENUINELY so impressive, so immersive and so educational.
Welcome to South Wales Miners Museum. Wales' first volunteer run miners' museum. Find us in the Afan Valley Forest Park north of Port Talbot
