Amgueddfa Cymru’s museums have again proven popular with visitors, topping the list of the most visited attractions in Wales.
St Fagans National Museum of History has once more been crowned the most visited attraction in the country, while the National Wool Museum has seen the highest percentage increase in visitors in Wales. According to ALVA’s latest figures, the National Wool Museum in Dre-fach Felindre, Carmarthenshire saw 22% more visitors (24,915) in 2025 than the previous year. The news comes at a significant moment, with the Museum celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026.
For nearly half a century, the Museum has played an integral role in preserving the rich and complex history of the Welsh woollen industry, which dominated the social fabric, physical landscapes and economic livelihoods across Wales from the Middle Ages to the 19th century.
The Museum has recently reopened its Weaving Shed, where craftspeople produce traditional Welsh flannel and beautiful double cloth tapestry blankets, sharing and preserving the impressive skill that goes behind every finished piece.
Meanwhile, St Fagans National Museum of History in Cardiff welcomed 570,207 visitors in 2025, retaining its title as Wales’ most visited attraction for the third consecutive year, according to Alva.
Since 1948, original buildings from different historical periods all over Wales have been re-erected in the open-air museum, including houses, a farm, a school, a chapel, and in recent years, Cardiff’s oldest pub – The Vulcan Hotel.
The St Fagans Food Festival, held in the summer, has established itself as a firm favourite in Wales’s foodie calendar, with over 80 food, drink and craft stalls nestled among the historic buildings.
Down the road, National Museum Cardiff also proved popular in 2025 with 356,021 visits according to ALVA’s figures, coming second on the list of most visited Welsh attractions. The year was filled with community-driven events and exhibitions such as Hip Hop: A Welsh Story, which celebrated the evolution of the genre and artform in Wales, as well as Strike!, which commemorated 40 years since the 1984 Miners’ Strike. Visitors to the Museum last year were also invited to suggest and submit names for a 3D printed replica of a mammoth skeleton, with ‘Tom Bones’ being officially welcomed as the winner.
Amgueddfa Cymru’s Chief Executive Jane Richardson said…….
“We are delighted to see these figures which not only demonstrate an appetite from our visitors to learn and engage with culture, history and art, but also reflect the hard work, contribution and effort from all our staff across our seven sites.
We are immensely proud of our achievements but are more determined than ever to connect with more people across Wales through our wide and varied exhibitions, events and engagement programmes.Â
There is something for everyone at our museums – as well as those included in ALVA’s list, we have our beautiful garden at the National Roman Legion Museum, our unique coal mine experience in Big Pit, the Calico Dress Cymru at National Waterfront Museum and ongoing engagement work across north Wales whilst the National Slate Museum in Llanberis undergoes redevelopment.”
