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NMGW ANNUAL REPORT 2001-2002

NATIONAL MUSEUMS & GALLERIES OF WALES

Access for all!

2 NMGW ANNUAL REPORT 2001-2002

© National Museums & Galleries of Wales, 2002Editor: Robin GwynTranslator: Nia Wyn JonesProduction: Arwel Hughes, Mari GordonDesign: Andrew Griffiths

Printed by: Mid Wales Litho

ISBN: 0 7200 0524 8

www.nmgw.ac.uk

NMGW ANNUAL REPORT 2001-2002 3

‘Removing the financial barrier to visitingthe National Museums and Galleries hasopened up the treasures of our Nationand the foundations of our heritage toeveryone in Wales no matter what theirincome or background’

Jenny Randerson, Welsh Assembly Government Minister for Culture, Sport and the Welsh Language

87.8%increase in total visitor figures


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Corporate Sponsors Arts & Business CymruBarclaysBG Transco plcBTCardiff International AirportFlight InternationalGE Aircraft Engine Services, Inc.GMBLegal & GeneralLloyds TSB CommercialPhillips AuctioneersRedrow South Wales LtdStandard SignsTransport & General Workers UnionUnisonWDAWestco Group LtdThe Western Mail

Founder and CorporateMembersBarclaysGE Engine Services Inc.Golley Slater & Partners LtdLloyds TSB Commercial ServiceMEM GroupS. A. Brain & Co. LtdRedrow Homes

Trusts, Foundations and otherMajor SupportersAnonymous TrustThe Atlantic FoundationCardiff County CouncilThe Clothworkers’ FoundationDaiwa Anglo-Japanese FoundationThe Derek Williams TrustErnest Cook TrustThe European UnionFriends of NMGW

The G. C. Gibson Charitable TrustGwendoline and Margaret Davies

CharityHeritage Lottery FundJPMorgan Fleming

Educational TrustLloyds TSB FoundationLocal Regeneration FundMary Homfray Charitable TrustNational Art Collections FundThe Pilgrim TrustS. R. & P. H. Southall

Charitable TrustThe Vale of Glamorgan

Environmental Partnership LtdWales Tourist BoardWorshipful Company of GardenersWorshipful Company of Weavers

Individual Donors giving inexcess of £250David & Diana AndrewsLeslie & Marian BeckettDavid & Carole BurnettGerald & Ann ColemanMrs Valerie CourageGeraint Talfan DaviesWalter & Shael DickieDavid Glan EvansLewis J. EvansMarion EvansMrs Christine EynonRoger Farrance David FineMichael GriffithG. Wyn HowellsDavid Watson James, OBEJane JenkinsDr & Mrs T. P. JonesMiss K. P. KernickThe Rt Hon. Neil Kinnock

Dafydd Bowen LewisGerald & Pat LongHefin LookerHoward MooreJohn & Doreen MorganMrs Rosemary MorganMalcolm & Monica PorterMathew & Angela PrichardMrs Michele ProctorDr Colin RichardsJohn RobertsMike & Mary SalterAlan K. P. SmithDr P. M. SmithJohn & Jane SorotosJaci StephenRoger G. ThomasJohn Foster ThomasDavid & Christine VokesMrs Meriel WatkinsRichard WestonDr Hilary Yewlett2 Anonymous Patrons

Individual Donors giving inexcess of £1,000The Rt Hon. The Earl of Plymouth

DL, FRSAViscount WindsorR. Paul RussellDr Margaret Berwyn Jones

Life PatronsCapt. Norman Lloyd EdwardsMrs Enid ChildChristopher Gridley, Esq.Mrs Joan GridleyMr Wynford & Mrs Sigi EvansDrs M. & P. C. ElmesR. Paul RussellDr Margaret Berwyn Jones

NMGW’s supportersThe President and Council would like to thank the following, and those who wish to remain anonymous, for their generoussupport of the National Museums & Galleries of Wales in the period from 1st April 2001 to 31st March 2002

If you would like to find out about ways in which you or your organisation can support NMGW’s work, then please contactour Development Department on (029) 2057 3483.


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CONTENTS

6 President’s ForewordMathew Prichard

10 Director’s IntroductionAnna Southall

12 DeliveryHow NMGW measured against its mainperformance indicators in 2001-2002

14 AchievementsHow NMGW delivered the Welsh AssemblyGovernment agenda in 2001-2002

18 GoalsHow NMGW will support the Plan for Wales in2002-2003

20 Central ServicesA dynamic organisation at work

26 Working in Wales and beyondNMGW’s diversity of sites and activities

50 Court of Governors, Council andManagement Board

The exhibition Flight, which ran at the NationalMuseum & Gallery between June 2001 andFebruary 2002.


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A year of challengesIt is with a mixture of great pride andsome sadness that I present this, my finaloverview of a full financial year asPresident of the National Museums &Galleries of Wales.

As my term as President ends with thepresentation of this Report to the Courtof the Museums in October 2002, nextyear’s foreword will be written by PaulLoveluck – a new President with newideas about the future direction of what Ibelieve to be Wales’ premier heritageorganisation. I wish Paul well in meetingthe undoubted challenges that lie ahead.

The publication of this Report also marksthe end of Anna Southall’s sterling serviceto the Museums as Director. As shebecomes the next Chief Executive ofResource: The Council for Museums,Libraries and Archives in England,Resource’s gain will be very much Wales’ loss.

I would like also to take this opportunityto thank all the staff, Council membersand other volunteers who have servedNMGW during my term. The level ofcommitment at all levels has been trulyamazing.

I have every confidence that the work oftransforming NMGW into a 21st –century institution that has gatheredmomentum under Anna and myself willcontinue under the new leadership.

A year of freedom There has been plenty of evidence during2001-2002 that some major aspirationshave already been realised and thatothers are well on their way to beingdelivered. One of the most visiblemilestones achieved was the re-

introduction of the policy of providinguniversal free access to the collectionsthat NMGW hold in trust for the nation.

The ‘Free For All’ policy, introduced fornational museums in Wales in April 2001– a full eight months before itsintroduction in England – proved to be ahuge success with the people of Walesand tourists alike. Thanks to additionalfunding and support provided by WelshAssembly Government Minister forCulture, Sport and the Welsh Language,Jenny Randerson, the total number ofvisits to NMGW’s eight sites across Walesincreased by 87% in the first year ofoperation. Attracting over 1.4 millionvisits in just 12 months dwarfed the totalof 765,000 for 2000-2001.

Many of the visitors to the Museums andGalleries since April 2001 have either notbeen to any of our sites before or havenot visited for many, many years. Inaddition, our traditional visitors are nowcoming back more frequently, visitingmore of our eight sites and experiencingmore of the diversity of what we have tooffer them.

A year of achievementAnother set of milestones can beclustered around the delivery ofNMGW’s ‘Industrial Strategy’ – examiningthe links between the industrial heritageof a particular area and its social andcultural history and present day creativeindustries. This Strategy embraces threeexisting museums as well as thedevelopment of a new industrial andmaritime museum in Swansea:

• following re-development three yearsago, the Welsh Slate Museum atLlanberis has enjoyed a 600% increase

Past and futurePresident’s Foreword

‘The ‘Free For All’ policy,introduced for nationalmuseums in Wales in April2001 – a full eight monthsbefore its introduction inEngland – proved to be ahuge success with thepeople of Wales andtourists alike’


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in visits and won the Wales TouristBoard’s Sense of Place Award for thecreation of a distinctively Welshambience

• re-development work totalling £7m hasnow begun on site at Big Pit: NationalMining Museum of Wales in Blaenavonand is due for completion in autumn2003

• the Museum of the Welsh WoollenIndustry in Dre-fach Felindre,Carmarthenshire is now closed for ayear. It will re-open under a new nameafter its £1.7m face-lift in time for the2003 summer season

• following a grant of nearly £11m fromthe Heritage Lottery Fund (awarded inprinciple in 2001 and confirmed in July2002), NMGW is now well on the wayto realising one of Europe’s mostexciting new museums on the SwanseaWaterfront

The combined total capital investment inthe Industrial Strategy over the next threeyears is set to be around £40m, withmuch of the funding due to be provided

by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the WelshDevelopment Agency, the Wales TouristBoard and the Welsh AssemblyGovernment itself.

A year of co-operationFollowing a series of meetings with artistsand other interested parties, NMGW’sConsultation on the Display of Artculminated in the creation of ‘Views ofthe Future’. This public consultationdocument will now ensure that thegeneral public can play a vital part inredefining NMGW’s approach to thedisplay of the collections of art that itholds in trust for the nation.

‘Views of the Future’ is very much abouttaking forward the partnership principlesbehind a scheme that was formulatedduring 2001-2002. Now titled CyfoethCymru Gyfan – Sharing the Treasures,the scheme will enable NMGW and theCouncil of Museums in Wales to establishpilot projects at three venues acrossWales – Oriel Ynys Môn, WrexhamMuseum and Brecknock Museum – toexamine diverse ways of increasing accessto national collections.

Anna Southall and Jenny Randerson AMcelebrate the one millionth visit, October 2001.


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President’s Foreword

‘NMGW is a well-governed andwell-directed organisation that hasrecently made fundamentalimprovements to its arrangementsfor delivering the strategic objectivesof the Assembly’

The Final Report of the Quinquennial Review of NMGW,School of Public Policy, University of Birmingham


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A year of modernisation During the year, an independent reviewof the governance and performance ofNMGW endorsed the work of theorganisation. Every five years, the WelshAssembly Government commissions areview of its Assembly Sponsored PublicBodies. The Final Report of theQuinquennial Review of NMGW,conducted by the School of Public Policyat the University of Birmingham,concluded that NMGW is:

‘a well-governed and well-directedorganisation that has recently madefundamental improvements to itsarrangements for delivering the strategicobjectives of the Assembly … It provides animpressive array of achievements at areasonable cost. At the same time, itsarm’s-length relationship with the Assemblygives it the degree of independencenecessary to its role in the long-termsustainable stewardship of the treasuresvested in its trust.’

The Final Report contained a total oftwenty-four recommendations. An actionplan was drawn up by NMGW and theWelsh Assembly Government toimplement all of them – including twothat relate directly to reforming theconstitution of NMGW.

A year of reflection Finally, as I look back on what has beenachieved and what issues remain to beaddressed, I believe it is absolutely vitalthat NMGW strikes a balance betweenbeing exemplary custodians of Wales’national collections and operating Wales’flagship visitor attractions. Without thesecure bedrock of proper stewardship,conservation and curation, the Museumswill not be able to maintain existingnational and international standards, letalone fulfil ever-increasing visitorexpectations.

One development that has not yet got offthe ground is that of the expansion of theCollections Centre at Nantgarw in thesouth Wales valleys. It is this developmentthat is now essential to all our futureplans. Good storage, good conservationfacilities and good amenities for servicingloans to and from the collectionsunderpin the opening of more glamorouselements, such as galleries andexhibitions.

In Nantgarw, we have acquired anexcellent building with room to expand.We need £9.7m phased over three yearsto do so. I would not expect the WelshAssembly Government to fund this facilityin full, but we will need theircommitment to its development in orderto attract grants from other areas of thepublic sector.

The maintenance of high standards mustnot be jeopardised by the pressure towelcome ever-increasing numbers ofvisitors to see our collections. Buildingsand grounds must be well maintained andadequately staffed; the collections mustcontinue to be researched and cared forand the displays enriched and enlivenedby newly discovered knowledge andrecently restored artefacts.

The funding of the Museums must reflectthe need to strike a balance between thefinancing of new developments and coreactivity. We must be recognised by thepublic as an organisation that not onlyencourages creativity but also promotesexcellence in the maintenance,restoration and care of collections.

I commend this Report to you as soundevidence of why we at NMGW mustconstantly strive to invest in ourinfrastructure and core activities in orderto achieve sustained improvement in ouropenness, accessibility and inclusiveness.

Mathew PrichardPresident

NMGW’s Collections Centre, Nantgarw.

‘I believe it is absolutelyvital that NMGW strikes abalance between beingexemplary custodians ofWales’ national collectionsand operating Wales’flagship visitor attractions’


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Purpose and dirDirector’s Introduction

‘I would like to pay tributeto the 600 staff … at NMGW’s ninelocations across Wales’

A year of delivery Hiraeth is the Welsh word for a conceptthat is extremely difficult to define in theEnglish language. It is a combination ofboth a profound longing for and a deepaffinity with something much loved – be ita person, a period in time, a sharedexperience, a community or a wholecountry. I have spent just over six years inWales, first as an Assistant Director and,for the last four years, as Director of theNational Museums & Galleries of Wales.When I leave in October to take up anew role in England, as Chief Executive ofResource: The Council for Museums,Libraries and Archives, I know now that Iwill experience a powerful hiraeth forboth NMGW and Wales.

It is with a combination of pride andsadness therefore that I take thisopportunity to look back at 2001-2002 –a year in which NMGW delivered somuch on so many fronts.

Firstly, I would like to pay tribute to the600 staff who have done the real work atNMGW’s nine locations across Wales –eight museums and a Collections Centre.Bringing together a dynamic team ofDirectors has given me huge pleasureand the effectiveness of this teamworkhas been vital to the leadership of change.The Directorate has been keenly andimaginatively supported by ManagementForum, a larger team of specialist andprofessional managers across alldepartments of NMGW.

Secondly, I would like to acknowledgewith great personal gratitude thecontribution of the Council of NMGW,and the President in particular, which hasbeen crucial to NMGW’s growingsuccess, culminating in this last,

extraordinary year. Without their wisdom,their far-sighted enthusiasm and theirtireless and selfless support for our visionwe would have aspired to less andachieved little for the people of Wales.

One of the most fundamental changesthat I have promoted during my period asDirector is the increasing alignmentbetween the historic ideals, aims andobjectives of NMGW as an institution onthe one hand and the Welsh AssemblyGovernment’s own economic and socialagendas on the other. I would thereforealso like to thank the Welsh AssemblyGovernment for its consistent support forthe work of NMGW throughout 2001-2002. In particular, decisive action inMarch 2001 by the Minister for Culture,Sport and the Welsh Language, JennyRanderson, ensured that NMGW hadsufficient funding to introduce freeadmission to NMGW a week later onApril 1st, a most successful policy that hasgained universal popular support.

19th Century Ideals NMGW was established by RoyalCharter in 1907 as the National Museumof Wales, as part of the great Victoriandrive to establish museums as places ofwonder and learning for ordinary people.An independent registered charity,NMGW receives its core funding throughgrant-in-aid from the Welsh AssemblyGovernment as an Assembly SponsoredPublic Body. Its core activities involvedeveloping, caring for, studying andsustaining access to its collections for thebenefit of society in perpetuity. TheCharter (1907, revised 1991) states thatthis is to be achieved:

‘primarily by the complete illustration ofthe geology, mineralogy, zoology,


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ectionbotany, ethnography, archaeology, art,history and special industries of Walesand generally by collection,conservation, elucidation, presentationand publication.’

21st Century Aims NMGW currently aims to:

• promote a wide understanding andknowledge of Wales’ heritage, cultureand role in world development andhistory

• provide Wales with a national museumservice which is an international centreof excellence, ensuring the bestpossible care for our continuallyexpanding collections of national andinternational renown and importance

• encourage research, study andappreciation of the arts, humanities,sciences and technology, through ourcollections and expertise

• inspire an ever-widening audience tovisit and enjoy our excellent museumsand benefit from their diverseresources and facilities

• develop wisely and use creatively andeffectively all our resources, ensuringmaximum efficiency and value for money.

The Corporate Plan shows how NMGWwill address five current strategic issues between 2003 and 2006 in order toensure that its activities promote theseaims in line with the objectives identifiedby the Welsh Assembly Government.NMGW will:

• ensure that it can properly look afterthe collections and estates entrusted toits care

• gain wider recognition of its relevanceto the needs of an inclusive society

• make its collections, and the knowledgeinherent in them, ever more widelyaccessible

• promote leadership and effectivemanagement, and develop an open-minded organisational culture

• improve its funding base to enable it toachieve its priorities.

Future GoalsBy interpreting and applying NMGW’spriorities in contemporary and dynamicways, I am convinced that we are provingbeyond doubt that museums play acentral role in society today. This Reportdemonstrates how by helping to deliverthe Assembly Government’s flagshipstrategies, such as the Plan For Wales,Creative Future and Winning Wales,NMGW is helping Wales to becomeinclusive, sustainable, more equal andknowledgeable; to be a cultured countryin the fullest sense of the word.

This Annual Report for the NationalMuseums & Galleries of Wales looks tothe very exciting future of this greatinstitution as it approaches its centenary in2007, as well as back at the proudachievements of the past year. I hope youwill enjoy reading it.

Anna Southall Director NMGW

‘One of the mostfundamental changes thatI have promoted during myperiod as Director is theincreasing alignmentbetween the historicideals, aims and objectivesof NMGW as aninstitution on the one handand the Welsh AssemblyGovernment’s owneconomic and socialagendas on the other’


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Performance and attainment

Delivery 2001-2002

How NMGW measured against its main performance indicators

VISITOR FIGURES APRIL 2001 – MARCH 2002

National Museum & Gallery Cardiff

00/01

Target 01/02 230,000

226,876

Actual 01/02 353,924

+56%

Total for all National Museums & Galleries of Wales

00/01

Target 01/02 800,000

764,599

Actual 01/02 1,430,428

+87.8%

Museum of Welsh Life

00/01

Target 01/02 350,000

321,810

Actual 01/02 694,899

+115.9%

Roman Legionary Museum

00/01

Target 01/02 58,000

58,997

Actual 01/02 70,160

+18.9%

Museum of the Welsh Woollen Industry*

00/01

Target 01/02 6,000

9,036

Actual 01/02 12,576

+39.2%

Segontium Roman Museum

00/01

Target 01/02 10,000

8,810

Actual 01/02 12,565

+42.6%

Turner House Gallery

00/01

Target 01/02 8,000

10,554

Actual 01/02 11,706

+10.9%

Welsh Slate Museum

00/01

Target 01/02 58,000

53,890

Actual 01/02 144,408

+168%

Big Pit (closed Dec/Jan 2001)

00/01

Target 01/02 80,000

74,626

Actual 01/02 130,190

+74.5%* No target set for MWWI for October-November 2001 and

January-February

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PERFORMANCE INDICATORS APRIL 2001 – MARCH 2002

2000/2001 2001/2002 2001/2002actual target actual

Number of visitors in 201,310 160,000 228,114education related parties (formal education) (formal education)

55,000 141,187(informal education) (informal education)

Number of participants in 114,220 114,000 114,003outreach programmes

% of general visitors from New Indicator 2001/2 10% 37%socially disadvantaged groups

Number of venues to which 207 250 272loans have been made

Number of website visits 302,140 330,000 481,193

Number of website visits 21,810 24,000 34,742over 10 minutes

Number of web pages viewed 900,870 1,050,000 1,831,221

Number of peer-reviewed publications 30 40 52

Number of other professional 28 30 49books/monographs including catalogues

Number of collection enquiries 15,980 16,000 17,594

% permanent and long-term exhibition 3% 2.5% 9%space renewed during last year

Number of temporary exhibitions during 20 15 20the year at NMGW Museums

Number of temporary exhibitions during 6 10 15the year on tour

Grant-in-aid per visitor (gross figure £20.74 £19.99 £11.88including all grant-in-aid revenue, capital (based on GIA of and specimens purchase) £16,994.00 and

1,430,428 visitors)

Grant-in-aid per user* (user nos. = £16.19 £16.04 £10.58visitor nos. + participants in off-site (based on GIA ofactivities + website visits over 10 minutes £16,994.00 and + collection enquiries) 1,605,079 users as

defined in Grant-in-aidper user*, opposite)

Grant-in-aid as a proportion of total 88.2% 93.5% 88.1%operating spend (gross figure including all grant-in-aid revenue, capital and specimens purchase), (total operating spend = unrestricted + restricted columns from annual accounts less any sums on collection purchases and capital works)

Retail income £596,684.00 £1,118,116.00

Retail net profit £44,343.00 £281,257.00


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Progress and grAchievements 2001-2002

How NMGW supportedbetterwales.com: the WelshAssembly GovernmentStrategic Plan

‘Better opportunities for learning’

1.43 million visits were made to NMGW sites.

• NMGW has made its collectionsaccessible to 215,000 visitors from theformal education sector, and 100,000life-long learners, through aprogramme of over 200 events rangingfrom lectures and recitals to living

history workshops and performances.

• Following an award of £1m by theHeritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to the‘Gathering the Jewels’ programme,NMGW has continued to digitise all itsoil paintings and sculptures and parts ofother collections in partnership with theNational Library of Wales and otherkey organisations.

• Detailed research was undertaken toassess the current range of workundertaken by NMGW within Wales inpartnership with other bodies. Thisresearch also sought to provide anoverview of a potential co-ordinated

" Access extended

" Partnershipscreated

" Investmentattracted

" Accountabilityincreased


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owth

scheme of partnerships and a simplestructure for its delivery.

• The Council of Museums in Wales(CMW) was granted £40,000 by theWelsh Assembly Government todevelop pilot partnership schemes withNMGW. Three venues were identifiedby CMW to participate in the pilotschemes: Anglesey County Museums &Culture Service, Brecknock Museum &Art Gallery, and Wrexham CountyBorough Museum.

• During 2001-2002, each venuesubmitted proposals for using the fundsto develop projects and enhanceinfrastructure provision to enable themto access NMGW collections. Thescheme, entitled ‘Cyfoeth CymruGyfan – Sharing the Treasures’ waslaunched in May 2002 by the Ministerfor Culture, Sport and the WelshLanguage, Jenny Randerson.

‘A better, stronger economy’

NMGW is currently involved in capitaldevelopments worth a total of £40m.

• In July 2001 the National WaterfrontMuseum Swansea project securedinward investment in principle from theHeritage Lottery Fund (HLF) of £11m.The opening of the state-of-the-artindustrial and maritime museum isscheduled for 2005.

• In March 2002, the Museum of theWelsh Woollen Industry at Dre-fachFelindre was formally closed to thepublic to allow a £1.7m redevelopmentfollowing the award of £1m from theHLF. The Museum will re-open undera new name in the spring of 2003.

• Work has also begun at Big Pit: TheNational Mining Museum of Wales,Blaenafon, where inward investment of£6m has facilitated a redevelopment

‘In July 2001 the NationalWaterfront MuseumSwansea project securedinward investment inprinciple from theHeritage Lottery Fund of £11m’


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project which, when complete, will beworth a total of £7.9m.

• All three projects will safeguard andcreate jobs in Objective One areas,and make a direct contribution to theeconomic regeneration of the widerdestinations.

‘Better quality of life’

Cultural identity underpins a sociallycohesive and prosperous society.

• The removal of admission charges atNMGW museums, made possiblethrough additional funding and supportfrom the Welsh AssemblyGovernment, has opened up the

foundations of Welsh heritage toeveryone in Wales regardless of theirincome or background.

• In the first year of operation, the ‘FreeFor All’ policy saw the total number ofvisits to NMGW’s museums increaseby 87% to 1.4m, dwarfing the total of765,000 for 2000–2001. The mostdramatic increases have been at theWelsh Slate Museum (up 168%) andthe Museum of Welsh Life (up 110%).

• The findings of visitor researchundertaken by NMGW confirm thatWales is leading the way in extendingaccess to cultural heritage. Thepercentage of visitors from socialclasses C2, D and E rose from 31% in

‘In the first year ofoperation, the Free For All policy saw thetotal number of visits toNMGW’s museumsincrease by 87% to 1.4m’

Achievements 2001-2002


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1998 (the last survey year when allvisitors paid for admission) to 37% in2001. This represents a 19% increasein share.

• Free entry has encouraged traditionalvisitors to come back more frequentlywhilst encouraging a modest increase inthe numbers of new visitors of adifferent profile.

‘Better, simpler government’

NMGW has made ‘fundamentalimprovements’.

• The Final Report of the QuinquennialReview of NMGW was presented to aplenary session of the Welsh Assembly

Government in November 2001. Thereview concluded that NMGW is a‘well-governed and well-directedorganisation that has recently madefundamental improvements to itsarrangements for delivering the strategicobjectives of the Assembly Government’.

• An action plan has been drawn up byNMGW to act upon the twenty-fourrecommendations contained in theFinal Report; the most significant ofwhich related to the governance of theorganisation, specifically the future ofCourt.

‘The findings of visitorresearch undertaken byNMGW confirm thatWales is leading the way inextending access tocultural heritage’

The National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff


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Aims and ambitGoals 2002/2003

How NMGW will support thePlan for Wales

‘Developing the learning country’

• NMGW will complete a community-based education project – OnCommon Ground, funded by theMuseums & Galleries Access Fund –that aims to equip young adults outsideformal education with key skills byexploring new approaches to museumand heritage access.

• NMGW will play a major role in theproduction and promotion of alandmark publication – theEncyclopaedia of Wales, the definitiveguide to all things Welsh, to bepublished in the autumn of 2003.Several NMGW staff are contributingsubstantial sections of the content ofthe publication. NMGW has alsoagreed to be the lead partner in thepromotion of the book through thedelivery of a pan-Wales educationalevents programme in the autumn of 2003.

‘A modern economy’

• NMGW will continue to draw inwardinvestment into Wales, including thesubmission of a Stage 2 application fornearly £11m to the Heritage LotteryFund for the National WaterfrontMuseum in Swansea. A total of £1mfrom the HLF and £350,000 EUObjective One funding will support theredevelopment of the Museum of theWelsh Woollen Industry.

• NMGW will consolidate the increase invisitor numbers following the advent offree entry and work with the WalesTourist Board and the Welsh

Association of Visitor Attractions tospread the benefits of free entry to thetourism sector in Wales by acting ascultural tourism gateways.

‘Where we live’

• NMGW will continue its commitmentto the Cyfoeth Cymru Gyfan – Sharingthe Treasures partnership with theCouncil of Museums in Wales, whilstactively pursuing new initiatives inpartnership working in Wales.

• NMGW will continue to developCyfoeth Cymru Gyfan – Sharing theTreasures at two levels. In the Councilof Museums in Wales pilots, a group ofpartners will work on specificcollaborative curatorial, educational andmanagerial projects, At the lower level,all NMGW loans and displays will belabelled as part of the scheme giving aconsistent identity and profile acrossWales.

• NMGW will work with PembrokeshireCoast National Park Authority toproduce an outline plan for the deliveryof the ‘Sutherland Centre’ for the artsand the environment.

• In response to the outcome of thepublic Consultation on the Display ofArt, NMGW will develop a strategicplan for the presentation of theNMGW art collection within a multi-disciplinary environment that celebratesdiversity.

‘Identity’

• NMGW will play a leading role indelivering and developing the WelshAssembly Government’s culturalstrategy Creative Future: Cymru

" DevelopAudiences

" Educate Tourists

" SustainCommunities

" Define Identities

" ModerniseGovernance

" ConnectCollections


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ions

Creadigol. Through our membership ofCymru’n Creu we will promote thedistinctive and creative cultural life ofWales.

• NMGW will conduct a feasibility studyinto the options of providing anoverview of Welsh history at theMuseum of Welsh Life in the form ofcreating a Gallery of Welsh Histories.

• NMGW will play a leading role onbehalf of Cymru’n Creu, working withother members, to explore thefeasibility of establishing a Welshsporting museum.

‘Modern Government’

• NMGW will pursue changes to itssystem of governance in accordancewith the recommendations of theQuinquennial Review.

• NMGW will hold open meetings of its

Council so that the public can view theTrustees at work.

• NMGW will hold open generalmeetings to present its Annual Reportand other key policy documents forpublic scrutiny, including face to facequestions and answers.

‘Promoting ICT’

• NMGW will exploit the scope forinclusive learning about Wales’ naturaland cultural life that is offered byelectronic and digital media bycontinuing to play a key role in the pan-Wales Gathering the Jewels project.

• NMGW will further develop its websiteto provide not only comprehensive up-to-date information for potentialvisitors but also to further developvirtual museum facilities for theeducation sector and a range of otherservice users.

‘NMGW will play a majorrole in the production andpromotion of a landmarkpublication – theEncyclopaedia of Wales,the definitive guide to allthings Welsh, to bepublished in the autumn of 2003’

‘The Assembly Government recognises the crucial role ofmuseums and galleries in establishing Wales as aknowledge-based economy. It is good to see that they areplaying their part and enabling people to experience thelatest technology. It is only when people are at ease withnew technology that the Welsh economy will be fully ableto exploit the benefits of ICT’

Andrew Davies, e-Minister and Assembly Government Minister for Economic Development


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Co-ordinationand integration

NMGW Central Services

EducationAs well as the 215,000 visitors thatattended NMGW sites in the form offormal education groups, another100,000 life-long learners used theservices of the museums. Thisincreasingly important audience wasengaged through a programme of over200 events – ranging from lectures andrecitals to living history workshops andperformances.

In addition to particular examples to befound in the ‘Working in Wales andbeyond’ section of this Report, theeducational highlights of the year includedan extremely busy year for the interactiveGlanely Gallery located in the NationalMuseum & Gallery.

Through Glanely, the Education Serviceimplemented a policy of continualreinforcement of environmental themesand highlighted this with partnerships withCardiff Waste Forum to promote YellowPages recycling and with Keep Wales Tidyduring a beachwatch theme.

Women’s History Month in October2001 saw excellent collaborationbetween a range of departments and sitesas well as partnership work with theEthnic Minority Women’s Network todeliver a well attended series of eventsthat appealed to a range of ages andcultures.

Engaging with visitors – both physical andvirtual – was supported by NMGW’spresence at one of Wales’ leading national


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events. An ongoing partnership withAcademi and Cywaith Cymru-ArtworksWales facilitated a multi-strand presenceat the National Eisteddfod at Denbigh innorth Wales. During the early summerpupils from Ysgol Llannefydd, Henllan,Heulfre, Twm o’r Nant, Frongoch andBryn Clwyd were introduced toarchaeology and the Celts by means ofschool-based artefact handling sessions.

Fired with this enthusiasm for their localheritage they were invited to participatein archaeological excavation, artwork andpoetry sessions at the Eisteddfod. Thespirit of this landscape became thecreative force which fed sessions with ateam of Wales’ premier bards – IwanLlwyd, Twm Morys, Myrddin ap Dafyddand Meirion MacIntyre Huws. Elementsof the artwork, poetry and archaeologicalexperiences were updated daily by theyoung participants on the Museumwebsite.

National Science Week focused on thetheme of ‘Science: from past to future’.Activities took place at The NationalMuseum & Gallery, The Museum ofWelsh Life, Segontium Roman Museumand the Roman Legionary Museum, andincluded support from the Museum ofthe Welsh Woollen Industry. Partnerships

included the South Wales Energy Centreand Gwynedd Archaeological Trust,together with support from CardiffUniversity. Funding was received fromCOPUS, the UK partnership for ScienceCommunication, to run all of the events,and from the National Assembly throughthe British Association.

The National Museum & Gallery heldworkshops looking at the science oftextiles. The workshop on Textile Sciencewas brought to life by examining theorigin of natural fabrics and dyes throughthe use of the Biological collections. This was further developed throughcollaboration with the Museum of theWelsh Woollen Industry with a look athow science plays a part in creatingfabrics from fleece. The workshops werefully booked, with over 300 pupils, fromboth primary and secondary schools,taking part. A display was made of thechildren’s work and exhibited at theNational Museum & Gallery before beingreturned to the participating schools.

The Museum of Welsh Life hostedactivities focusing on energy use in thepast and the future, with support fromthe South Wales Energy Centre, forsecondary school pupils, and Iron SmeltingExperimentation for all age groups.

Jenny Randerson AM visits NMGW at theNational Eisteddfod in Denbigh

‘An ongoing partnershipwith Academi andCywaith Cymru-ArtworksWales facilitated a multi-strand presence at the National Eisteddfodat Denbigh in north Wales’


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Publications & DesignThe year saw a mixture of publicationsproduced. Kaligat Paintings by ChristineMackay (Senior Conservation Officer,Paper) was jointly published withRolibooks of Delhi. Another jointpublication, The Miracle of Flight byphotographer Stephen Dalton, waspublished with Merrell Books to coincidewith the exhibition Flight. An exhibitioncatalogue, edited by Dr Ann Sumner(Curator, Fine Art) was produced inEnglish and Welsh editions to accompanythe exhibition John Brett: a Pre-Raphaeliteon the shores of Wales. The Welsh andEnglish language guidebooks for theMuseum of Welsh Life were reprinted,reflecting the huge increase in visitorsthere, and a new French language editionwas produced. Big Pit's guidebook wasalso reprinted, and a large print format ofthe Roman Legionary Museum'sguidebook was produced, in line withNMGW's policy of making our museumsaccessible to all.

A report on the progress andimplementation of NMGW's WelshLanguage Policy was submitted to theWelsh Language Board, and warmlycommended.

Design, both graphic and three-dimensional, was provided for the year'sexhibition programme. In particular, thepublicity poster for Images of the floatingworld: Japanese woodblock printsattracted attention, and won the WelshLanguage Board’s prize for bilingualdesign. The boat-house at the Museumof Welsh Life was completely refurbished,including new interpretation panels.

The operation of NMGW's website wastransformed by the introduction of new,state-of-the-art software, and the designof the site evolved, becoming easier touse. Access was also enhanced by theintroduction of databases and the use ofsound and video. The use of interactivetouch screens within exhibitions isincreasing, and this aspect ofinterpretation was provided in temporaryexhibitions and is now permanentlyavailable in some galleries. February sawthe launch of a brand new intranet,allowing staff to benefit from ICT tocommunicate and share information.

MarketingAs with Education, NMGW centres itsmarketing activity on audiencedevelopment – especially new audiences.This year provided the opportunity forthe annual Visitor Surveys carried out bythe NMGW Marketing Department toanalyse the significance of the 87%increase in visits as a result of Free Entry:

• Whilst only 2% of respondentsspontaneously cited free entry a reasonto visit, 62% of all visitors were awareof free entry prior to their visit.

• Of those NMGW visitors based inWales, 80% said they were aware offree entry. This suggests that the ‘Freefor All’ marketing and press and PRcampaign was successful in that it bothraised awareness and attached value tothat which is now free.

• The percentage of visitors from socialclasses C2, D and E rose from 31% in1998 to 37% in 2001. This representsa modest discernible shift of sixabsolute percentage points and anincrease of 19%. This establishes aplatform for NMGW to continue toencourage new audiences in the light offree entry.

• The percentages of visitors who hadundertaken previous visits haveremained steady between 1998 and2001. This would suggest that theincrease in visits to NMGW sites sinceApril 2001 can be accounted for by aproportionate increase in both first timevisits and repeat visits.

• Although three out of ten people said itwas their first time visit to NationalMuseum & Gallery and the Museum ofWelsh Life in both 1998 and 2001, theabsolute numbers of first time visitorshas risen in line with the increase intotal visits.

• There has been an encouragingmodest change in the age profile ofvisitors in favour of young people.

• Finally, free entry does not seem tohave had any significant impact onvisitors’ ability to enjoy theirexperience.

The initial findings suggest that thedecision to be evolutionary rather thanrevolutionary in the marketing response



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to free entry has been wise. In terms oftone, style and design we must notalienate an existing core audience – yetwe must appeal to new visitors andencourage repeat visits.

The introduction of free admissionoffered an opportunity to produce newpromotional print for both existingaudiences and new visitors in the form ofWhat’s On – a quarterly publicationdesigned to be accessible to new visitorsand to encourage repeat visits fromexisting audiences in the south Walescatchment areas. A similar publication forthe north Wales museums is envisaged.

Finance and Human ResourcesThe NMGW Accounts 2001-2002 aredetailed separately in the Financial Report.In a successful period, the total incomegenerated by the Museum (excludingWelsh Assembly Government Grants)increased from £2,395,000 to£4,689,000, due primarily to majordonations and bequests in the year, andthe increase of secondary incomegeneration following free access. Newdevelopments were central to theFinance Department’s support ofMuseum activity. To this end theDepartment:

• supported business planning for majorcapital projects, with particular regardto National Waterfront Museum Ltd,

Big Pit and the Museum of the WelshWoollen Industry.

• implemented the rollout to sixtyDepartment users of its new onlinefinancial system, CFACs

• led the development risk managementcontrols in line with Turnbullrecommendations

• supported a rolling programme of VFMefficiency reviews (which includedBuildings and Estates, Personnel,Finance and Development)

NMGW’s financial resources weredeployed as follows:

• Collections Care and Research 26.4%

• Permanent Display, Education andExhibition 15%

• Support Expenditure 46.5% (includingWarding, Security, cleaning, IT Services,Technical Services and allocatedoverheads based on staff numbers)

• Fundraising & Marketing 5.7%

• Management & Administration 6.4%

A review of Pay and Grading for NMGWstaff produced a blue print for a threeyear package based on a consistentsimplified system and equality of payacross the whole organisation.

A programme of Senior ManagementTraining based on ‘360 degree Appraisal’was implemented during the year andproved to be a challenging but highlyvaluable exercise.

National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff


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Commercial NMGW operates a number of retailoutlets, commercial franchises andcorporate hire services at its sites.

During the year, the net profit of NMGWshops increased by 534% and a largeproportion of the increase can beattributed to the increase in spending byvisitors following the dramatic rise in thenumber of visits. With the exception ofthe Museum of the Welsh WoollenIndustry, which closed for re-development towards the end of theyear, all of the sites showed an increase innet profit. The most significant increaseswere recorded at the Museum of WelshLife (£178,501 net profit) and Big Pit(£67,762 net profit).

Information &CommunicationTechnology ICT development has concentrated onconsolidation and extension of theexisting systems and network. In contrastto 2000-2001, all NMGW office staffnow have routine access to a wide rangeof services including e-mail and theinternet.

Big Pit became part of the NMGW ITnetwork in the summer and in lateautumn the Roman Legionary Museumbecame one of the first places in thecountry to be equipped with a newtelephone system that uses the datanetwork to transmit both voice and data.

‘Big Pit became part of theNMGW IT network in thesummer and in late autumnthe Roman LegionaryMuseum became one ofthe first places in thecountry to be equippedwith a new telephonesystem that uses the datanetwork to transmit bothvoice and data’



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Connections between the Payroll andFinance systems were established in lateautumn enabling salary data to betransferred directly to the finance system.Security was increased considerably toprotect users from the threats ofmalicious programs being downloadedfrom the world wide web or via e-mail.

Library Since 1999, the NMGW Librarycatalogue has been fully automated, withall new material being entered on theLibrary Management System (LMS).Considerable inroads have been made inretrospective cataloguing (specialcollections, museology etc.), so that some33,000 books are now on LMS, out of astock of some 150,000 monographs.

Access to the catalogue is currently onlypossible via the Main Library, but inadopting LMS it has always been plannedto extend access to all staff, and possiblylater to all via the internet. With this inmind, the Museum has purchasedinternet server software in order todeliver online access to the librarydatabase.

Conservation,Documentation andPhotography Conservation is central to maintaining theintegrity of NMGW’s collections.Highlights of the year included theestablishment of a purpose-designedArchive Conservation Laboratory and acomprehensive Review of Conservation.

The Documentation Unit continues toprovide the Museum with a professionalservice relating to the computerisation ofthe Museum’s collections. During thisyear 110,887 new inventory recordswere created and, to date, 1,221,783objects/specimens have obtainedapproved inventory status. 2001–2002was a landmark year for Documentationwith the completion of the inventoryproject for three-dimensional objects atthe Museum of Welsh Life.

The Unit has also been active in anumber of external partnerships, notably

the Gathering the Jewels and ENDEX(Extended National Database for Wales)projects. As a partner in Gathering theJewels Limited, the Museum has been adriving force for this pan-Wales project.Its aims are to digitise and make availablevia the internet up to 25,000objects/specimens, audio/sound, andmoving images from archives, libraries,museums and galleries from across Wales.

The ENDEX is based on a partnership ofWelsh heritage bodies, who have createda national index of archaeological andarchitectural information. The informationencompasses NMGW’s site database, theSites and Monuments Records held byeach of the four Archaeological Trusts,and Cadw’s scheduled monument andlisted building database. It is hoped thatthe NMGW’s database of finds will beincorporated soon, to produce acomprehensive and integratedinformation system.

Over this year, the Documentation Unitand the Department of Archaeology &Numismatics have exported over120,000 records for incorporation intothis project.

Throughout 2001–2002, thePhotographic Unit saw extensive changesin the use of modern technology. This hasbeen driven by the underlying duty of theUnit to satisfy the photographic andimaging demands of the institution as wellas external clients. Over 10,000 newphotographs were taken, and despite asmall reduction in the number of actualjobs recorded this demonstrated aconsiderable increase over the previoustwo-year period.

‘During this year 110,887new inventory recordswere created and, to date, 1,221,783objects/specimens haveobtained approvedinventory status’


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NMGW’s diversity of sites, activities and research

Working in Wales and beyond

National Museum & Gallery,Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NP

Tel: (029) 2039 7951

Open Tues-Sun and Bank Holiday Mondays 10am-5pm

National Museum & Gallery

Visits in 2001-2002: 353,924Visits in 2000-2001: 226,876Increase: 56%

The National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff,is unique amongst national museums inthe UK in its range of arts and sciencedisplays. It houses the National ArtGallery alongside other curatorialdepartments that are internationallyrenowned for their work in the spheresof Archaeology & Numismatics, Geologyand Biodiversity & Systematic Biology.

In contrast with some other NMGWsites, the initial impact of free entry wasnot startling. During the year, however,the cumulative impact was to transformthe atmosphere of the building. Whilstschool holidays are now thronged withfamilies, and weekdays busy with groupsfrom formal and lifelong educationalsettings, take-up of free events isdramatically increased. The most tellingmoments are on quiet days when there isnow always a steady flow of visitorsenjoying the host of opportunities thecollections and activities represent.

Over eighty public events were mountedover the year, from talks on the

conservation of a Jurassic sea reptile todisplays of flying birds of prey; from debatesabout Welsh art and its place in the worldto discussions about how archaeologistsrepresent Wales’ past. The year’sexhibition programme was dominated byFlight – the story of how birds, beasts andhumans have taken to the air. This exhibitionwas generously supported by GE AircraftEngine Services, Inc.

This year saw the National Museum &Gallery taking an ever closer part in thecultural life of Cardiff, Wales and beyondthrough collaboration with others.Examples range from working withTechniquest on the ‘Science in the City’festival; the Open University; UWICCentre for Lifelong Learning; the RoyalWelsh College of Music & Drama onSunday Coffee Concerts, and hostinginnovative events associated withNational Archaeology Weekend, NationalScience Week, Local History Week,Museums & Galleries Month andEuropean Heritage Days.


56%increase in visitor figures forNational Museum & Gallery

‘The National Museums &Galleries of Wales is one ofour premier heritageorganisations. NMGW hasthe potential to make asignificant contribution tomany of the NationalAssembly’s policies’

Jenny Randerson, Welsh AssemblyGovernment Minister for Culture, Sportand the Welsh Language


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Near Beddgelert, Thomas Girtin (1755-1802).

‘Exhibitions from NMGW’sart collection were alsoseen outside Cardiff.Sisters Select: Works onPaper from the Davies Collectiontravelled to Aberystwyth,Conwy and Bath’


ArtAlthough the Art Department has a finecollection of late 18th century ‘goldenage’ watercolours of Wales, includingseveral by J. M. W. Turner, it had lacked amajor view of Snowdonia. In 2001 itacquired Near Beddgelert by Turner’sshort-lived contemporary Thomas Girtin(1775-1802), following the temporarydeferral of an export license, andpurchased with the assistance of theNational Art Collections Fund. This largeexhibition watercolour was paintedfollowing Girtin’s visit to north Wales in1798, and attracted favourable attentionwhen shown at the Royal Academy thefollowing year.

Early in 2002, Thomas Gainsborough’sRocky Wooded Landscape with RusticLovers, Herdsman and Cows was acceptedin lieu of tax by the UK Government andallocated to NMGW in memory of thenewspaper proprietor William Berry, 1stViscount Camrose, and his brothers, whowere bon in Merthyr Tydfil. This beautifulwork of the 1770s is probably the mostimportant acquisition for a decade.

A total of eight exhibitions ran in the Artin Wales and the Prints and Drawingsgalleries, ranging from the Drawings byAugustus & Gwen John from the Collections

of NMGW and the National Library’stouring memorial exhibition of WillRoberts, to Cambria’s Curse: Images of theWelsh Bard (1750-1850) and John Brett:A Pre-Raphaelite on the Shores of Wales.Both John Brett and Cambria’s Cursebenefited from cross-disciplinarycollaboration with Art department staff bythe Geology, Archaeology &Numismatics, and Industry departments.

There is currently only one gallerydesignated for the display of art after1960. In 2001 this room, Gallery 16, wasrenovated for a programme of changingthematic displays from the collection.

Exhibitions from NMGW’s art collectionwere also seen outside Cardiff. SistersSelect: Works on Paper from the DaviesCollection travelled to Aberystwyth,Conwy and Bath, while a selection of ourunrivalled holdings of drawings by GwenJohn were shown at Tenby Museum andArt Gallery, and at Harewood House,North Yorkshire. Photographs by PhilipJones Griffiths were shown at theNational Eisteddfod and drawings byCurnow Vosper in Brittany and inMerthyr Tydfil. Loans were also made toexhibitions elsewhere in Britain, Europeand the United States.



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Rocky Wooded Landscape with RusticLovers, Herdsmen and Cows, Thomas Gainsborough.


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‘The excavations atLlanbedrgoch featured inthe BBC2 series Blood ofthe Vikings presented byJulian Richards’


Archaeology &NumismaticsThe last of eight seasons of excavationwas undertaken at the Viking Agesettlement at Llanbedrgoch, Anglesey.This completed the excavation of an earlymedieval spring, and another earlymedieval burial was discovered within theenclosure. The popular Digging for Vikingswebsite was updated and virtual visitorscould, once again, find out aboutdiscoveries as they happened at theLlanbedrgoch excavation.

The excavations at Llanbedrgoch featuredin the BBC2 series Blood of the Vikingspresented by Julian Richards. The skullsfrom the five bodies found at the sitewere delivered to the Unit of Art andMedicine, University of Manchester, forfacial reconstruction in preparation fordisplay in the exhibition Re-creations:visualizing the past.

A fundamental role of the Department israising the standards of stewardship of thecollections. This work of curation anddocumentation underpins many othermuseum activities. The Department has afive-year programme to document toinventory level and improve the packagingof priority collections. There are now118,500 records on the ComputerisedManagement System. Achievements thisyear include:

• the completion of a six-year project torepackage and document theNeolithic/Bronze Age general boxedcollections

• all copper alloy objects from the LlynCerrig Bach deposit from Angleseyhave been repackaged anddocumented

• all Roman small finds have now beendocumented to catalogue level

• all Roman coins and hoards from sitesin Wales have been documented.

The Portable Antiquities Scheme –‘Finding Our Past’ – was extended withcontinued support from the HeritageLottery Fund and the Welsh AssemblyGovernment. The Scheme, which

encourages the reporting ofarchaeological finds made by members ofthe public, has continued to be verysuccessful – despite the influence of footand mouth – and several notablediscoveries have been recorded. Itprovides a mechanism by whichmembers of the public have theopportunity to participate in thearchaeological process and thereby makea contribution to both archaeologicalknowledge and the protection of thehistoric environment.



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Excavation at Llanbedrgoch: washing andprocessing finds.

As a result of several initiatives by theDepartment, state-of-the-art technologycan now be used by visitors to unearththe treasures of Wales’ past. An ITdatabase that enables visitors to searchany area in Wales for archaeologicalartefacts has been developed with specificadditional funding provided by the WelshAssembly Government.

The project has also led to thedevelopment of partnerships with the

Royal Commission on the Ancient andHistorical Monuments of Wales, Cadw,and the four Welsh Archaeological Trusts.The sharing of information on thedatabase allows all partners to view morecomprehensive data. Over 300,000objects dating from 250,000 years ago tothe Industrial Revolution can now betraced back by visitors to the exact areaswhere they were found.

Pic suppliedto be scanned


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‘Major acquisitionsincluded a magnificentcollection of Late Triassic(Rhaetian) vertebratesfrom Aust and Westbury,Jurassic ammonites fromSomerset, and a largecollection of fossils fromthe former Department ofGeology at AberystwythUniversity’


GeologyThe opportunity to establish a number ofshort-term curatorial assistant contractposts allowed the Department to beginto audit, document and re-storesignificant parts of the backlog collections.Particularly important was the work onborehole cores, the coal collection, largemineral specimens, Palaeozoic fossils, andoffprint publications. Detailed CuratorialProcedure documents were completedfor the full range of such activities.

The Geology Teaching Collection wasrationalised and upgraded, including theincorporation of new material fromCardiff University; this now provides animproved teaching resource for bothcuratorial and Education Department staff.The new Archive Store was finallyoccupied, following long-runningproblems with environmental control.The much consulted antiquarian mapsand other papers are now re-housedunder suitable conditions.

Major acquisitions included a magnificentcollection of Late Triassic (Rhaetian)vertebrates from Aust and Westbury,Jurassic ammonites from Somerset, and alarge collection of fossils from the formerDepartment of Geology at AberystwythUniversity, including type and figuredmaterial.

Apart from many activities within the UK,staff undertook fieldwork, research ormade presentations at conferences inFrance, the Czech Republic, China,Canada, USA, France, Germany andDenmark. Overseas visitors coming toconsult collections or to work with staffwere from Uzbekistan, Iran, CzechRepublic, Russia, China, Argentina andIreland. These international relationshipscontinue to emphasise the wide rangingremit of the Department.



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In its earliest geological history, Wales formedpart of a supercontinent named Gondwana,deep in the polar regions of the SouthernHemisphere. A major project in the GeologyDepartment employs fossils from variousareas of Gondwana to track the earlymovements of Wales (shown in red on themaps). The map on the left is of earth about480 million years ago; the map on the rightis of about 455 million years ago, whenWales’ part of the earth’s crust had driftednorthwards away from Gondwana (marked Gon the maps), eventually colliding withScandinavia and North America.

Opposing valves of the primitive brachiopodTrematosia (a shallow marine seashell),which is about 510 million years old. Fossils like this provide crucial information inplotting the margins of ancient continentalmasses like Gondwana.


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‘The Melvill-TomlinCollection of sea shellshas now been fullydocumented. This is amajor milestone aftertwenty-two years of effort’


Biodiversity &Systematic BiologyCommonly known as ‘Bio-Syb’, theDepartment continues to explore MarineBiodiversity, discovering species new toscience and constructing the first map ofthe seabed of the Irish Sea.

The Melvill-Tomlin Collection of sea shellshas now been fully documented. This is amajor milestone after twenty-two yearsof effort, involving the databasing of750,000 shells. The data is now availablefor access on NMGW’s website.

Through the department, the Museummakes major contributions tointernational Biodiversity Agendas incapacity building projects in East Africa,Galapagos, Rodrigues, Canada andBulgaria, in training to support theconservation of threatened habitats andspecies. In addition, BioSyB continues toforge links with Welsh partners, workingwith:

• Countryside Council for WalesSandbanks and Merionnydd Oakwoodsprojects

• local authorities on hedgerow andpond surveys and the establishment oflocal record centres

• the National Botanic Garden of Walesin the surveying of rare andendangered Welsh flora

• the Wales Biodiversity Group topromote public awareness andunderstanding of biodiversity andsustainability issues.



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One of Tomlin’s type specimins from theMelvill-Tomlin Collection.

Staff from NMGW, CCW and University ofWales, Bangor working on the deck of the RV Prince Madog.


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Museum of Welsh Life,St Fagans, Cardiff CF5 6XB

Tel: (029) 2057 3500

Open daily 10am-5pm

Museum of Welsh Life


One of Europe’s leading open-airmuseums, the Museum of Welsh Life ispart of the group of four Social andIndustrial History Museums run byNMGW and is home to the largestcuratorial department, Social & CulturalHistory. From the re-creation of anancient Celtic village to the erection of abrand new House for the Future, visitorscan explore and enjoy over 2,000 yearsof history in over forty re-erected periodbuildings that have been collected from allover Wales.

This was a momentous year for theMuseum in many ways, including theopening of two new buildings (the first tobe opened on the site for six years),namely:

• the high profile House for the Future,integrating vernacular tradition withsustainable technology, which was

opened on 24 April 2001 by theMinister for Culture, Sport and theWelsh Language, Jenny Randerson AM.It won the Guardian’s NationalHomebuilder Design Award for ‘BestHouse of the Future’

• the hugely popular 1950 B2 prefabfrom Gabalfa, Cardiff, opened by theLord Mayor of Cardiff, Russell Goodway.

Public interest in these two new buildingshelped boost the dramatic rise in visitornumbers as a result of the advent of freeentry. For 271 days of the year, the visitornumbers were over 2,000 a day, andactually reached over double that figureon sixty-five of those days. 103,000 ofthe visitors were from educationalgroups. It is a huge tribute to the front-of-house staff and education staff that theycoped so effectively with such immensenumbers.

John Williams-Davies, Director of theMuseum of Welsh Life, receives the WTB's‘Wow Factor’ award, given to MWL for beingthe best visitor attraction in Wales.



116%increase in visitor figures forMuseum of Welsh Life

‘NMGW provides an impressive array ofachievements at a reasonable cost. At the sametime, its arm’s-length relationship with the Assemblygives it the degree of independence necessary to itsrole in the long-term sustainable stewardship of thetreasures vested in its trust’

The Final Report of the Quinquennial Review of NMGW, School of Public Policy,University of Birmingham


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The well-established annual May Fairevent drew 32,524 visits (19,000 on theBank Holiday Monday). The HarvestFestival, on the theme of traditional foodand farming, drew over 5,000 visitors.

The Cardiff Matsuri – a festival celebratinglinks between Wales and Japan – washeld at the Museum of Welsh Life in June2001, involving 380 local primary schoolpupils and activities that attracted nearly12,500 visits over three days.

Halloween, an evening event, was thefirst to charge an admission fee since the

introduction of free admission. This didnot deter visitors – the site was filled tocapacity within an hour of opening, thenumbers reaching over 4,700 for theevening in its entirety.

The ever-popular Christmas Fair wasanother equally successful charging event,attracting over 12,000 visitors over threenights. It is no wonder that the Museumwon the ‘Wow Factor’ Award at the2001 Wales Tourism Awards ceremony,for being the best visitor attraction inWales.

The House for the Future at MWL.



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The appeal of the Museum as a visitorattraction is underpinned by ongoingcuratorial work such as the re-erection ofthe Llandeilo Tal-y-bont Church. The masonry work of this exciting majorproject, including reinstatement of missingperiod windows, is near completion, andthe structural timbers of the NorthTransept roof were restored and rebuilt.

Work also continued on the restorationof St Fagans Castle, including thepreviously derelict Italian Garden. Thework of refurbishing and reinterpretingthe Castle Kitchen was also far advanced,

but completion was delayed pendingemergency repairs to the Castle roof.

In addition, Taff’s Well Police Station wasdismantled and brought to the Museumto await re-erection and excellentprogress was made with the start of asystematic programme for conserving thehistorical buildings on the site. Five buildingswere completely re-thatched andextensive repairs carried out on anothertwo roofs.

The Matsuri Festival took place at MWL in June.


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Welsh Slate Museum,Gilfach Ddu, Llanberis, Gwynedd LL55 4TY

Tel: (01286) 870630

Open Easter-October daily 10am-5pm,November-Easter Sunday-Friday10am-4pm, closed Saturday

Welsh Slate Museum


The story of slate unfolds for visitorsthrough watching skilled craftsmen as theydeftly split and dress the slate by hand,viewing the largest working waterwheelon mainland Britain. The Museum alsooffers a unique glimpse into the lives ofthe quarrymen and their families at Nos1-4 Fron Haul – a terrace of cottageswhich have been moved to the Museumfrom their original site in Tanygrisiau andfurnished in three different historicalperiods.

By any standards, 2001-2002 was a trulyremarkable year at the Welsh SlateMuseum. Following the introduction offree entry it soon became clear thatvisitors were spending money saved onadmission at neighbouring attractions,thereby spreading our benefit to theadvantage of the Llanberis tourismdestination as a whole.

By the end of March 2002, the WelshSlate Museum had recorded the highestpercentage year-on-year changerecorded at any of NMGW’s sites.

Equally as satisfying, many of the newvisitors are local people enjoying and

experiencing their personal selection ofhighlights. The Quarrymen’s Houses, thewaterwheel, ‘To Steal a Mountain’ andthe craftsman-presented displays of slatesplitting and trimming are amongst themost popular. The latter has now beenrelocated to a larger exhibition area,providing visitors with comfortable tieredseating and an unimpeded view, whilemembers of staff work within what is,effectively, a well-lit theatre.

Staff also became increasingly aware ofthe need to supplement theinterpretation of the site in imaginativeways such as through the provision of aninteractive DVD presentation on old andmodern slate working techniques, as wellas a computer animation of the geologicalprocess leading to the formation of slate.

Last, but by no means least, the WelshSlate Museum’s remarkable year wascrowned by the honour of receiving, atthe Wales Tourist Board’s annual awardsceremony, the ‘Sense of Place’ Award for2001 for being the best visitor attractionin Wales at creating a distinctly Welshambience.

Above: The traditional craft of slate-splittingand trimming is displayed in the newdemonstation area.

Right: Dafydd Roberts, Keeper of the WelshSlate Museum, receives the WTB’s ‘Sense ofPlace’ award, given to WSM for being thebest visitor attraction in Wales at creating adistinctly Welsh ambience.



168%increase in visitor figures forWelsh Slate Museum

‘Spreading the national museum across the country encouragespeople in most regions to view and appreciate aspects of theirheritage … It enables the totality of Welsh heritage to be moreaccurately represented. For example, the Welsh Slate Museumin Llanberis gives a much better idea of how the industry usedto work than a few pieces of slate and machinery in a buildingin Cardiff ever could’

‘Ten good reasons to feel proud of Wales’ – Western Mail


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Big Pit: The National Mining Museum,Blaenafon, Torfaen NP4 9XP

Tel: (01495) 790311

13 February-30 November opendaily 9.30-5pm

Big Pit: The NationalMining Museum


Set in the heart of the World HeritageSite at Blaenafon, Big Pit offers anexperience unparalleled in Britain andunique to Wales. Guided by ex-miners,visitors descend 300 feet to the verydepths of the mine and experience thetotal darkness that the miners worked inday after day. Surface features and facilitiesinclude colliery buildings, pithead baths,blacksmith’s workshop, winding enginehouse and a café.

The year was one of great change for BigPit and its staff. Until February 2001 BigPit had operated as an independentCharitable Trust and Limited Company.During 2001-2002, it had to adapt tobeing a national museum within a nationalinstitution that is also an AssemblySponsored Public Body. Thistransformation coincided with theoutbreak of the Foot & Mouth crisis, there-introduction of the Free Entry policyfor national museums and the start of a£7m capital redevelopment.

In the past, those visiting from bothEngland and France exceeded thenumbers of school children visiting Big Pit

from Wales; now Welsh school childrentop the rankings.

The popularity of Big Pit is testament tothe fact that the staff have continued tomaintain a superb service to the publicthroughout the course of such a turbulentyear.

Big Pit has recently been awarded twoawards by the Good Britain Guide 2002:‘Tour of the Year’ and ‘Welsh FamilyAttraction of the Year’.

The award of ‘Tour of the Year’celebrates the authenticity of the Big Pitexperience. Every visitor who takes theunderground tour will encounter a realcoalmine and real miners. The guides arehappy to share their own insights into thisunique industry with visitors and eachone provides the public with a slightlydifferent experience during their tour.

Big Pit is happy to accommodate allmanner of different groups, from schoolsto women’s guilds, from university groupsto family days out. This versatility hascontributed to Big Pit being considered‘Welsh Family Attraction of the Year’.



74%increase in visitor figuresfor Big Pit: The NationalMining Museum


www.nmgw.ac.uk

Museum of the Welsh Woollen Industry,Dre-fach Felindre, Llandysul,Carmarthenshire SA44 5UP

Tel: (01559) 370929

Closed for redevelopment untilspring 2003

Museum of theWelsh WoollenIndustry


Located in the heart of the west Walescountryside the Museum of the WelshWoollen Industry tells the story of theforty mills once clustered around Dre-fach Felindre. Cambrian Mills – the onlymill in the village, which has remained incontinuous operation since it was built –now houses the Museum. Centuries-oldtechniques, forgotten skills and traditionalways of life sit alongside a thriving,working woollen mill, still producing forthe modern market.

During the year, NMGW was awardednearly £1m from the Heritage LotteryFund to help re-develop the site as aflagship museum for west Wales. As aresult, the Museum was closed to visitorson March 1 with the aim of re-opening inspring 2003.

A hundred years ago spinning andweaving was one of Wales’ mostimportant industries and the mill was thehub of an industrial enclave in the TeifiValley, alongside fifty other woollen millsand weaving sheds. The area becameknown as ‘The Huddersfield of Wales’.

The mill is still in commercial productiontoday. It is NMGW’s intention to presentthe story of the wool industry in

imaginative ways in the very mill andvillage that was the centre of the industryand which is now a heritage site ofenormous significance.

The total cost of the redevelopment willbe £1.7m. In addition to the HLF grant of£986,500, NMGW is contributing£300,000 to the costs. A further£350,000 grant is being sought fromEuropean Union Objective 1 funding and£50,000 is being raised from individualtrusts and sponsorship through dedicatedfundraising activity.

The programme will include the repair ofthe listed mill buildings and the provisionof improved visitor facilities, dedicatededucational facilities and moderninterpretation of the collections.

The woollen industry played a centralrole in the development of this area ofrural Wales and NMGW is very muchlooking forward to retelling the story in away that will inspire people to visit thebeautiful and fascinating Teifi Valley.

MWWI closed on March 1st for extensiveredevelopment. It will re-open spring 2003.


‘It is NMGW’s intention topresent the story of thewool industry in imaginativeways in the very mill andvillage that was the centreof the industry’


39%increase in visitor figures forMuseum of the WelshWoollen Industry


www.nmgw.ac.uk

Roman Legionary Museum,High Street, Caerleon NP18 1AE

Tel: (01633) 423134

Open Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm,Sunday 2-5pm

Roman LegionaryMuseum


During the year over 27,000 studentsexperienced the educational programmeat Caerleon, reflecting both the quality ofthe Roman remains available and thecontinually evolving range of facilities,activities and resources on offer.Highlights for the year included theaddition of a stone sarcophagus in themain gallery and the launch of an excitingresource for schools.

One of the main projects during theacademic year was to develop outreachresources for the Roman Legionary Baths.These are designed to assist schoolchildren in their understanding of thearchaeological remains. Newport LEAworked with NMGW and CADW with theaim of developing exciting resources to supporta visit to the baths and the use of artefacts.

The multimedia resource that was producedis available on the internet and is called‘The Caerleon Web Challenge’. It isaimed at Year 3 children who study theRomans as part of their historycurriculum. The children are asked toimagine that their father is theCommanding Officer of the fortress atIsca and that he has ordered them tolook after the family of a British Chieftainwho will visit the fortress in a few weekstime. The children must give the family a

taste of Roman life at the baths. Thechildren are then given a number of tasksto complete which will help them to decidewhat the family will do during their visit.

The resource is in the form of astructured Microsoft PowerPointpresentation that allows the children tonavigate through the tasks. It also links toan exclusive multimedia resource bankprovided by NMGW and CADW. Theresource includes drawings, photos,video, virtual reality scenes and interactivedrag and drop activities.

During the late spring of 2002 a newexhibit was installed in the gallery. ThisRoman Bath stone sarcophagus wasdiscovered locally in 1995 at a site nearto the University of Wales CollegeNewport Caerleon Campus.

Over the past year the sarcophagus hasbeen conserved and reconstructed and isnow a stunning new attraction to thegallery. The display has been paid for bypublic donations to the NMGW and isthe first exhibit to be funded in this way.Soon, the display will include some of theartefacts discovered in association withthe sarcophagus, most notably the skull ofa circa 40 year old male and a beautifullyturned shale bowl.

Segontium is NMGW’s smallest museumand is located at the remains of one ofancient Britain’s most famous Romanforts. Despite its comparatively modestvisitor figures, the museum engages withits host community in imaginative ways.

One of the highlights of the year was acollaborative display project with Ysgol yrHendre, Caernarfon. Pupils worked withlocal artist Catrin Williams to create threecollage panels based the history andarchaeology of the Segontium site.

Segontium Roman Museum,Beddgelert Road, Caernarfon,Gwynedd, LL55 2LN

Tel: (01286) 675625

Open 1 November-March Monday-Saturday 10am-4pm, Sunday 2-4pm; 1 April-October Monday-Saturday10am-5pm, Sun 2-5pm

Segontium RomanMuseum


The stone sarcophagus, being installed at RLM.



19%increase in visitor figures forRoman Legionary Museum

43%increase in visitor figures forSegontium Roman Museum


www.nmgw.ac.uk

NMGW’s only stand-alone art facility, theTurner House Gallery, Penarth, is atemporary exhibition venue, managed bythe Department of Art. The first half ofthe year saw two further changing displaysof work from the Graham Sutherlandcollection. The second of these, ‘GeniusLoci’, provided an opportunity for stafffrom Art, Archaeology & Numismatics,Geology, and Biodiversity & SystematicBiology to test a multi-disciplinaryinterpretation of Sutherland’s work whichwill inform planning for the futureSutherland Centre in St Davids.

This was followed by the popular annualexhibition of the South Wales Art Society,the region’s leading amateur-artists’group, and an inspiring show of work by

members of the Watercolour Society of Wales.

Turner House Gallery,Plymouth Road, Penarth CF64 3DM

Tel: (029) 2070 8870

Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm, and BankHoliday Mondays(opening times apply only duringexhibition showings)

Turner HouseGallery


The Department of Industry currentlyoperates Nantgarw in the south Walesvalleys, servicing the curatorial,conservation and research requirementsof the Industry Collections both at theCollections Centre and at NMGW’ssocial and industrial history museums.

Workshops to deal with the conservationof small industrial artefacts and works onpaper have been established within theCollections Centre and plans have beendrawn up for the provision of engineeringand woodworking facilities.

A total of 695 research visitors made useof the Collection Centre’s facilities, and anOpen Weekend was staged at theCollections Centre to coincide withEuropean Heritage Events in September2001.

The department’s staff have been deeplyinvolved in the development of theproposed new industrial and maritimemuseum in Swansea as well the HeritageLottery Fund supported redevelopmentof Big Pit and the Museum of the WelshWoollen Industry.

NMGW Collections Centre,Heol Crochendy, Parc Nantgarw,Trefforest CF15 7QT

Tel: (029) 20573560

Visits welcome by appointment, openMonday-Friday 9.30am-4.00pm

NMGW CollectionsCentre

Graham Sutherland, Road to Porthglais withSetting Sun (by kind permission of the GrahamSutherland Estate)



11%increase in visitor figures forTurner House Gallery


www.nmgw.ac.uk

Court of GovernorsPresidentMathew Prichard CBE, DL, BA

Vice PresidentRoger G. Thomas OBE, LLB, CCMI

TreasurerG. Wyn Howells ACIB

Members of the Council not otherwise Members of the CourtMrs A. Carey-EvansJ. W. Evans CBE, MAProf. C. L. Jones OBE, FRSAM. A. J. Salter

Appointed by the Lord President of the Privy Council and the Welsh Assembly GovernmentDr S. J. Davies BA (to February 2002)Dr P. T. Warren CBE, MALinda D. QuinnC. Malcolm ParryEirlys Pritchard Jones BADr Nancy M. Edwards BA, FSA

The National Library of WalesVacant

The University of WalesMair Waldo ThomasProfessor J. King

Welsh Joint Education CommitteeCouncillor D. Parry Jones (to June 2001)

Members of Parliament for WalesW. Griffiths

Appointed by the CourtH. Jones (to October 2001)D. Bowen Lewis

Dr W. B. Willott CBDr E. Wyn LewisC. RowlandsH. Mansfield (from October 2001)

Representatives of Local AuthoritiesCouncillor J. G. JenkinsCouncillor R. W. HughesCouncillor P. G. LarsenCouncillor P. M. ThomasDr C. GraceCouncillor R. Francis DaviesCouncillor D. RogersCouncillor J. A. H. HarriesCouncillor R. CassCouncillor R. H. PooleCouncillor J. HuishCouncillor D. I. Bowen

Organisations in WalesCambrian Archaeological Association:K. MascettiThe Council of the Royal National Eisteddfod:G. E HumphreysThe National Museum of Wales Society:H. LookerThe Council of Museums in Wales:Councillor R. Francis Davies Wales TUC Cymru:VacantThe Welsh Council of the CBI:VacantThe National Trust:M. A. McLagganThe Arts Council of Wales:S. CrouchWales Tourist Board: J. JonesThe Welsh Wildlife Trusts Ltd:Vacant

Countryside Council for Wales:P. LoveluckCouncil for British Archaeology:F. L. LlewelynThe Federation of Museums andGalleries in Wales:Vacant

CouncilPresidentMathew Prichard CBE, DL, BA

Vice PresidentRoger G. Thomas OBE, LLB, CCMI

TreasurerG. Wyn Howells ACIB

Appointed by the Secretary of State for WalesDr Susan J. Davies BA (to February 2002)Mrs Eirlys Pritchard Jones BADr Nancy M Edwards BA, FSADr P. T. Warren CBE, MA

Elected by the Court of GovernorsD. Bowen LewisDr W. B Willott CBDr E. Wyn Lewis

Elected by the CouncilMrs A. Carey-EvansJ. W. Evans CBE, MAProf. C. L. Jones OBE, FRSAM. A. J. Salter

NMGW’s Management BoardDirector of NMGWAnna Southall

Deputy Director of NMGW, and Director of Collections & EducationEurwyn Wiliam

Director of the National Museum & Gallery, and Director of Arts and SciencesMike Tooby

Director of the Museum of Welsh Life,and Director of Social & Industrial HistoryJohn Williams-Davies

Director of Resource PlanningMark Richards

Director of Strategic CommunicationRobin Gwyn

NMGW Court of Governors, Council and Management Board

NMGW Council. Top (l-r): Dafydd Bowen, Brian Willott, Mark Salter, Colin Jones, Nancy Edwards,Peter Warren. Bottom (l-r): Eleri Wyn Lewis, Roger Thomas (Vice President), Mathew Prichard (President),Susan Davies (Vice President-elect), Paul Loveluck (President-elect), Wyn Howells (Treasurer), Eirlys Pritchard Jones. Not pictured: Annwen Carey-Evans, Wynford Evans.

nmgw annual report 2001-2002 - sismus.org unito/national museum... · 2010-03-10 · nmgw annual...

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