More than 60 venues join Welsh Museums Festival half-term programme
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More than 60 museums and galleries will take part in the Welsh Museums Festival from Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November, with family activities across Wales over half-term. Museums Federation Cymru, which organises the programme with Welsh Government support, says participation is the highest since the festival began. This is its 12th year.
Welsh Museums Festival 2026
- Festival dates
- 24 October to 1 November
- Participating museums and galleries
- More than 60
- Participation grant recipients
- 18 museums
- Combined participation grants
- More than £12,000
Grants support participating museums
The federation has awarded participation grants totalling more than £12,000 to 18 museums. The figure is a combined grant total, rather than an award of that size to each venue or the full festival budget. The programme includes many free or low-cost activities. That does not mean every participating attraction or event has free admission.
Halloween activities across Wales
This year’s Calan Gaeaf programme encourages museums to reduce waste and use more sustainable ways to celebrate Halloween. Examples in the Welsh Government announcement include spooky visits to Ruthin Gaol, a copper dragon in Rhayader and bat-box activities in the Rhondda. Participating venues include National Museum Cardiff, St Fagans National Museum of History, the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea and the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth.
Planning a visit
The organiser’s event listings give details of activities across the festival dates. Check the individual venue’s admission charges, opening times, age guidance and booking requirements before travelling. Cover has separately reported on the Rhondda Heritage Park bat-box workshops. The national programme brings together a wider range of venues and activities.
Background and supporting figures
Where this sits
Organisers say participation is the highest in the festival’s 12 years.
The 18 grant recipients are a subset of more than 60 participants; the £12,000-plus sum is not a per-museum award.