Cynon Valley Museum Update

The Cynon Valley Museum & Gallery looks set to re-open its doors to the public in the near future. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

At an Open Day Event for the public, held on Saturday 27th February at the Museum, the Board of Trustees for Cynon Valley Museum invited friends of the Museum, and interested members of the public to attend to hear about current news and future plans. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Dinah Pye, Chair of the Cynon Valley Museum Trust, which is planning to take over the running of the Museum, and fellow Trustees met with the public to listen to feedback and take the opportunity to raise the profile of the Museum. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

On the day it was announced the Trust had made good progress towards securing a package of funding from a range of sources to assist it in opening the Museum’s doors and make available the rich history of the Cynon Valley through artefacts that will all be retained at the site. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It was confirmed that a decision was expected in the very near future and that updates will be posted on the Cynon Valley Museum Trust’s Facebook page and also on the Council’s website. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Joy Rosser, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities, Libraries and Heritage, said: “The Council has been committed to supporting the Cynon Valley Museum Trust and more recently in particular has been assisting the Trust to try and secure the necessary funding to enable the re-opening of the Museum under Community Ownership. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Trust Members and local residents have worked relentlessly to get to this stage and, with good progress being made in securing the required funding, we hope to announce further positive news in the near future.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Trust’s Chair, Dinah Pye said: “Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has been incredibly supportive and accommodating throughout this complex transfer process, and the scrupulous attention to detail that has been going on behind the scenes for some time will ensure the re-opening of the Museum will get off to the best possible start.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

More information on the Cynon Valley Museum ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• A Board of 10 Trustees has recently been recruited from local residents that bring an eclectic mix of professional skill-sets to the Trust that will steer the Museum forward.
• The Cynon Valley Museum & Gallery was officially opened on 19th April 2001
• The theme of the Museum’s collection is ‘The Life and Work of the people of the Cynon Valley – Past and Present’ – it is one of the most comprehensive collections of its kind in Wales.
• The Collection was assembled by previous Museum curator Linda Coode, who had been collecting items for the Museum since 1992.