South Wales Miners' Museum
Volunteer-run museum in Afan Forest Park about coal mining in the Afan Valley, with guided tours led by a former miner.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The last pit in the Afan Valley closed in 1970, and in 1972 a public meeting in Glyncorrwg proposed creating a miners' museum. The South Wales Miners' Museum opened in June 1976 at Cynonville, near Cymmer, in a group of cabins, and is described as the first mining museum in Wales. It won the Prince of Wales Award in its opening year.
Funding for a purpose-built museum was secured in 2008, and volunteers carried out part of the interior refurbishment. The museum is now run by a registered charity staffed by volunteers and sits within the Afan Forest Park visitor centre. It marked its 50th anniversary events in 2022 and received a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant in 2026 for two staff posts.
Indoor displays cover mining communities and their history, including a recreated underground tunnel and a stable with a pit pony. Outdoor exhibits include a working blacksmith's forge, a steam locomotive, a winding engine and a lamp room. Separate displays look at the Miners' Strike and at the miners' leader and politician Vernon Hartshorn. Tours are led by a former coal miner, and a heritage walk and a small museum-owned steam train are also part of the offer.
Highlights
- Guided tours led by a former coal miner
- Indoor gallery on mining life, including a recreated underground tunnel
- Outdoor exhibits: blacksmith's forge, steam locomotive, winding engine and lamp room
- Displays on the Miners' Strike and on Vernon Hartshorn
- Hand-held video guides and a Hidden History heritage walk
Permanent exhibitions
- Museum gallery and outdoor exhibits – Indoor displays on mining communities, with a recreated underground tunnel and a pit pony stable, and outdoor items such as a forge, a steam locomotive and a winding engine.
- Miners' Strike – A display on the history of the 1984 to 1985 miners' strike and its effect on local communities.
- Vernon Hartshorn – An exhibition about the miners' leader and MP Vernon Hartshorn, who was born in Risca in 1872 and held government office in the 1920s.
- Founded
- 1976
- Operated by
- South Wales Miners' Museum (volunteer-run charity)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £4 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | £3Senior citizens and children |
| Children & teens | £3free up to age 4 |
| Seniors | £3 |
| Groups | –Groups should book in advance. |
Under-5s go free.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Access around the museum and the visitor centre is described as suitable for wheelchair users, and accessible toilets are in front of the entrance. Hand-held video guides are available. Visitors with special requirements are asked to contact the museum in advance.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 4 |
|---|
- Hands-on stations
The museum describes itself as a day out for the whole family, with activities for all ages and hands-on elements. Children aged 5 and over pay £3 and under-5s are free.
Getting there & parking
By car
Paid parking
Pay and display car park operated by Neath Port Talbot Council.
The museum is inside the Afan Forest Park visitor centre at Cynonville.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours covering coal mining and its impact on the valley are led by a former coal miner. A heritage walk (the Hidden History Walk) and a small steam train built by museum volunteers are also offered; no train timetable or fare is published. Schools visit by arrangement, with a programme tailored to the curriculum, a tour of the indoor and outdoor exhibits, a craft or question-and-answer session and, weather permitting, a heritage walk. |
