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| Wales History Week | |
|---|---|
| Name | Wales History Week |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Cultural festival |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Country | Wales |
| First | 2018 |
| Organiser | Amgueddfa Cymru — Museum Wales; Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales |
Wales History Week Wales History Week is an annual programme of events, exhibitions, talks and walks that celebrates Welsh history across museums, archives, libraries and heritage sites. The week connects communities, scholars and institutions with public programmes emphasising Welsh persons, places and moments from prehistory to the contemporary period. It draws on partnerships with national bodies, regional trusts and educational institutions to stage concerts, lectures, guided tours and digital resources.
Wales History Week showcases activity at venues such as Amgueddfa Cymru — Museum Wales, National Library of Wales, Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, Cadw, National Museum Cardiff, St Fagans National Museum of History, Big Pit National Coal Museum and local museums in Swansea, Cardiff, Conwy, Pembroke, Caernarfon, Newport, Bangor and Llandudno. Programmes include talks by scholars from Bangor University, Cardiff University, Aberystwyth University, Swansea University and University of South Wales and collaborations with archives such as Glamorgan Archives, Powys Archives, West Glamorgan Archive Service and the National Library of Wales Special Collections. Exhibitions often feature artefacts linked to figures like Owain Glyndŵr, Llywelyn the Great, Rhydderch ap Iestyn, Boudica, Henry VII and sites such as Castell Coch, Caerphilly Castle, Conwy Castle and Tretower Court.
Wales History Week was initiated in the late 2010s, building on programmes from Glyndŵr Day commemorations, St David's Day cultural festivals and heritage initiatives led by Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council of Wales. Early development involved consortia including Amgueddfa Cymru, the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales and the National Library of Wales, with academic input from departments at Cardiff Metropolitan University and Keele University on regional histories. The programme drew inspiration from international models such as European Heritage Days and national initiatives like Museum Week and has evolved to include digital projects developed with partners like Wikimedia UK, Historic England and BBC Wales.
Each edition foregrounds a thematic focus: examples include archaeology and prehistoric landscapes at Brecon Beacons National Park, industrial heritage linked to South Wales Coalfield and the Industrial Revolution, maritime history tied to Cardigan Bay and Port Talbot, and twentieth-century politics centred on Welsh devolution, Plaid Cymru and figures like Ruthin-born Aneurin Bevan. Events commonly feature guided tours of Roman Wales sites such as Caerleon Roman Fortress and Segontium, lectures on medieval law referencing the Laws of Hywel Dda, workshops at locations like St Fagans and performances at venues including Wales Millennium Centre and Theatr Gwynedd. Collaborative talks have examined the impact of treaties such as the Treaty of Union 1707, battles like the Battle of St. Fagans and the Battle of Hafodunos, and biographies of people such as Gladys Aylward and Sir Ifor Williams.
Primary organisers include Amgueddfa Cymru — Museum Wales, the National Library of Wales and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, with funding and partnership from Cadw, Arts Council of Wales, Heritage Lottery Fund and local authorities such as Gwynedd Council, Powys County Council and Cardiff Council. Other partners are academic departments at Swansea University, Bangor University and Aberystwyth University, community groups like Royal British Legion Cymru, heritage trusts including Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority and Gateshead Council exchanges, and media collaborators such as BBC Wales and Nation Cymru. Digital partnerships have included Wikimedia UK, Europeana, and repositories like People’s Collection Wales.
Participation spans volunteers from Friends of the Earth Cymru-linked local history groups, schools such as Ysgol Gymraeg Glantaf and Ysgol Brynrefail, lifelong learning centres like Workers’ Educational Association Cymru and community archives including Ceredigion Archives. Public engagement activities range from school workshops on figures like Saint David and Saint Teilo to family days celebrating industrial innovators such as Isambard Kingdom Brunel and mining communities tied to the Merthyr Rising. Outreach has targeted diasporic communities connected to Welsh emigration to Patagonia and international links with Ireland, Cornwall and Brittany.
Organisers report increased visitor numbers at sites like St Fagans and Big Pit during event weeks, alongside scholarly engagement with collections from the National Library of Wales Special Collections and enhanced digitisation projects supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Press and academic commentary in outlets such as The Guardian, The Telegraph, Wales Online, Times Higher Education and journals referencing Cambrian Archaeological Association noted the festival’s role in promoting lesser-known histories of figures including Bessie Jones (Welsh folk singer), Mary Anne Evans (George Eliot connection), and industrial campaigns such as the Tonypandy Riots. Critics have engaged with debates about representation relating to topics like Welsh language revival and the portrayal of colonial-era figures.
Media coverage has been carried by BBC Wales Today, documentary features on S4C, coverage in national newspapers such as The Western Mail and South Wales Evening Post, and specialist reportage in Mercator Historical Review-style outlets. Social media campaigns have used channels associated with Amgueddfa Cymru, National Library of Wales and Cadw, and digital materials have been shared via Wikimedia Commons and Europeana Collections. Broadcast features have included interviews with curators from National Museum Cardiff and historians from Cardiff University, and podcast collaborations with producers from History Hit and The National Trust media programmes.
Category:History festivals in the United Kingdom