Cynon Valley Museum & Gallery

Cynon Valley Museum & Gallery opened in 2001 and is situated on the outskirts of Aberdare in the South Wales valleys. Developed with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, the museum and gallery are situated on the site of the 19th century Gadlys Ironworks.

Discover two hundred years of the valley’s history - take an interactive journey through the ‘Footprints through Time’ gallery to see how the lives of the people of the Cynon Valley have changed. Experience some of the best in contemporary Welsh art, craft and design through the ‘Space’ galleries programme of changing exhibitions.

Matthew Wayne founded the Gadlys Ironworks in 1827, and iron was produced on this site until 1876. The works casting house originally stood at the front of the site. A wagon repair shop built between 1876 and 1897 replaced this. This building with grade II listing was renovated 1995 and now houses the Cynon Valley Museum & Gallery. Behind this are the impressive remains of the site’s four blast furnaces, which were built between 1827 and 1856. Today these are a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Currently there is no public access to the furnaces. At the far end of the site stands the 1857 blowing-engine house, making this site one of the most compact and complete sites in South Wales.