National Museum Cardiff

You can’t miss the museum. A stately old building at the foot of the city’s beautiful civic centre; it looks as grand as its ever-changing collection. With regularly updated exhibitions and a highly impressive collection of art, this free attraction is essential on any visit to the city.

As with all Welsh museums, there’s a strong sense of place in many exhibitions. The time trail that dates back to the birth of time does so as the history of Wales, and there’s a strong emphasis on Welsh painters such as Richard Wilson, Augustus John, Kyffin Williams and the sculptor John Gibson.

Their collection of French art is equally admirable. There’s a range of pieces by Monet, Manet, Cezanne, Pissarro and Renoir, who’s controversial La Parisienne stands proudly as one of the most popular centrepieces. Other European art includes a Van Gogh and a vase painted by Picasso. All of these works are well spaced and logically displayed, guiding you through the each period in art history.
With a cafe in their majestic entrance hall, and an interactive play centre for children, the National Museum is a really well thought out attraction as well as being a great celebration of art, time and humankind.