Centre for Alternative Technology

Over het museum

The Centre for Alternative Technology was founded in November 1973 by Gerard Morgan-Grenville on the site of a disused slate quarry at Llwyngwern, near Machynlleth in mid Wales. It started as a small community testing ways of living with less impact on the environment and opened to visitors in 1975.

Over the years the site gained a water-balanced cliff railway, displays on renewable energy and a low-energy house. A community-funded wind turbine followed in 2004, and in 2010 the Wales Institute for Sustainable Education (WISE) building opened as a showcase of sustainable construction; it won a RIBA award in 2011. CAT also runs a Graduate School of the Environment with postgraduate courses.

CAT is a registered charity. In November 2023 it stopped admitting walk-in day visitors, citing rising running costs, lower visitor numbers and delays to funding, and it has said it will reopen to day visitors once funding is secured. At present the site is used for courses, events, group and school visits and students.

Hoogtepunten

• Water-balanced cliff railway up the former quarry face
• Displays on renewable energy and low-energy building on a 24-acre site
• WISE building, a RIBA award winner for sustainable architecture
• Fully vegetarian café with vegan options

Opgericht

1973

Beheerder

Centre for Alternative Technology (registered charity)

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

The centre is currently closed to day visitors and has not announced a reopening date.

Toegankelijkheid

• Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift: geen informatie
• Aangepast toilet
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
• Hulphonden welkom: geen informatie
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

Information given for pre-booked group visits. Disabled parking is at the top of the drive by the bottom station building and can be reserved through the groups coordinator. The woodland walk and the drive are steep; most paths are compacted aggregate and mostly level, but wheelchair users may need help, especially in bad weather. Buildings have ramped or level access with wide doors and corridors. Accessible toilets are at the bottom car park reception building and at the top of the cliff railway. A free electric mobility scooter and a wheelchair can be borrowed if requested well in advance.

Kinderen & gezin

The centre is currently closed to day visitors and has not announced a reopening date.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

About three miles north of Machynlleth on the A487 towards Dolgellau, signposted from the main road. Sustrans route 8 links Machynlleth station with the site: about an hour on foot, less than half an hour by bike.

Service & horeca

• Café
• Garderobe
• Wifi

Fully vegetarian café with vegan options as standard; all food must be pre-booked. Free Wi-Fi, cloakrooms and a bar are listed among the site facilities for group visits.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

• Ruimtes te huur

Classrooms, a lecture hall with built-in audio-visual equipment, reception space and a bar. Overnight stays are possible in the 24-bedroom WISE building and in eco-cabins.

Je bezoek plannen