Believe it or not, I still have more European recaps to write. Better a month late than never, right?
You’re in for a treat today because we spent part of our final Welsh weekend exploring St Fagans with Rachel and her two oldest kiddos and it was awesome. (The official name is St Fagans National Museum of History, but that’s quite a mouthful.)
Rachel had already introduced us to Big Pit National Coal Museum, so we trusted her judgment on the museum front. Once again, she delivered!
St Fagans is an open-air museum just outside Cardiff where a whole bunch (40+) of historic Welsh buildings were moved, stone by stone, from all over the country before being rebuilt on site. So there’s a cottage from one region, a chapel from another, and a whole row of miners’ houses from somewhere else entirely. Together, they form a cohesive town of sorts, even though the collection represents a broad cross-section of the country.
It reminded me a lot of Seurasaari in Helsinki; and, though we didn’t go, I suspect it’s similar to Skansen in Stockholm. Europeans really seem to like their open-air museums!!
With free admission (we love free things) and a lot of space to roam and explore, it’s an accessible, inexpensive option for a partial day trip from Cardiff. Although access to all the buildings (and museum displays) is free… parking is not. Rachel had a pass (hooray!), but if you happen to be driving to St Fagans, just be aware you will have to pay to park your vehicle. On that note, I also highly recommend bringing cash—more on that in a minute.
We didn’t make it very far before the cameras came out. There’s a fun photo op in the main lobby near the gift shop. The giant green letters were very fun and the kids—minus Indy; I’m not sure where he was?—immediately arranged themselves on the furniture. It looked like something that belonged on the set of That ’70s Show.
From there it was basically a choose-your-own-adventure of exploring the grounds!
Farmhouses, a Tiny Post Office and Fresh Bread
Our first stop was Kennixton Farmhouse, which is impossible to miss because parts of it are painted an bright orangey-red. Wouldn’t wedding photos here be gorgeous? This is my go-to thought process just about anywhere we travel, ignoring the fact I am already married and am not a wedding photographer.
Also, I guess entertainment comparisons are on my mind, because I feel like between the colour, the quaint stone walls, and a thatched roof it looks a bit like something you’d see in The Holiday? Surprisingly enough, Kate Winslet and Jack Black did not walk out the door…
It was cool to see/learn about how the thatched roofing was secured from inside the house so it didn’t blow off in storms. While some sections of the farmhouse were cordoned off (you couldn’t walk around inside this bedroom), everything felt very open and accessible which really adds to the experience.
Oh to have the energy to run… for the sake of running! Lily was definitely the most energetic person in our group.
Next up was the Blaenwaun Post Office. This spot was teeny tiny. I did wonder if you could mail things? I never did find out. Don’t take your postcards here and then blame me if they never arrive at their final destination!
Next up was the old Tollhouse, where apparently the charges varied depending on what—or whom—you were transporting. The small enclosed area inside (that brown box with white posters) was where the toll collector slept. You can’t tour inside this space, so we were just observing everything from the doorway.
A toll chart was embedded in the side of the building.
We walked by a stone pigsty. Apparently (the kids let me read this plaque!) pigs are more likely to dig under or knock over pens with square corners, hence the round construction technique.
One of our favourite stops was the Derwen Bakehouse. We got to see workers preparing all sorts of dough and batters for fresh bread and Welsh cakes all mixed and baked in a traditional manner. We came back later to buy cheese buns and bara brith.
Both were delicious.
Unfortunately, I failed to take photos of either item. I have several hundred photos from this particular outing, but no evidence of the excellent Welsh baked goods we actually consumed.
When we visited, baked goods were available for purchase with cash only, so that’s worth keeping in mind. (I’d highly recommend you bring cash for this.)
Shops, Books and Community Buildings
Gwalia Supply Co was one of my favourite stops.
The shop originally combined a grocery store, bakery, ironmonger, pharmacy (or, as they would say in the UK, the chemist) and animal-feed business. It’s a bit like an old-fashioned Walmart? That said, the interior was significantly more photogenic than any department store I go into these days.
The shelves were filled with all sorts of tins, and jugs, with advertisements and assorted household products. It really felt like stepping back in time and gave off Little House vibes.
I grew up with a pantry holding various OXO products, so those were my favourite items to spot on the shelves.
The large stone building is the Oakdale Workmen’s Institute.
Coal miners pooled their money to build places like this to function as hubs for the community. Oakdale’s building opened in 1917 and included a library, reading room, committee room and concert hall (where visiting kids ran in circles to get some excess energy out 2026).
The detailing inside was lovely and you know I stopped to admire the library!
On a practical note, there are bathrooms on the main level of this building.
We can’t pass up an opportunity to pose inside a red telephone box.
I think this is such a cute picture of Belle and Lily (and dolly of course).
Lily and Indy 🙂
Here’s the Vulcan Hotel (it wasn’t open to tour when we were visiting) and a vintage ice cream truck.
There were some random carved mushroom seats in the woods.
The doll wanted her own mushroom portrait, obviously!
St Teilo’s Church, Llys Llywelyn and an Iron Age Roundhouse
The worker inside the general store told us to make sure we went to see St Teilo’s Church. (Rachel already planned to take us there, and that was a good call!)
The building dates back to the late 12th or 13th century, but the interior has been restored to show how it probably looked back in the 1500s.
It immediately reminded our family of the churches we visited on the Danish island of Møn with all the Elmelunde Master frescoes. Same story here: these paintings were designed to help communicate biblical history for illiterate congregants.
I love the look of whitewashed stone!
The interior was gorgeous.
And the staff member was incredibly enthusiastic about telling us all about it 🙂
So much colour and beautiful patterning!
Again, this would be an incredible spot for wedding or prom photos!
Next up was Llys Llywelyn, which is a recreation of a 13th-century royal court used by the Princes of Gwynedd. (It’s based on archaeological remains uncovered at Llys Rhosyr.)
I loved all the bright colours, and we spent a good long while rotating through photo ops.
Next up was Bryn Eryr, a reconstruction of an Iron Age farmstead (the original it’s based off dates back about 2,000 years!). It was surprisingly spacious inside.
The thatched roof was very cool.
Inside, Indy got to hold a replica sword!
Next, we wandered back toward the “heart of town”; my kids were smitten with a window display filled with jars of Welsh sweets.
Rachel let me know that this oven at St Fagans shows up in one of the early seasons of The Great British Bake Off. I love GBBO, so I had to get a picture!
It was a community oven and there was a plaque I wanted to read but my kids hurried me along. SIGH.
We made time for Indy to fit in a tree pose.
Rhyd-y-car Cottages and Maestir School
A special highlight was the Rhyd-y-car cottages. It’s a whole row of former miners’ homes furnished to show how family life (and decor!) changed over almost two centuries.
You walk from one cottage to the next and the furniture changes, new technology appears… and eventually we recognized some of the products in the cupboards.
John was curious about these blue and green glass tubes. Turns out they’re both decorative and functional hollow rolling pins. Housewives would fill them up with cold water to prevent the butter from melting while pastry was being rolled. Genius! (I think these deserve a place in GBBO whenever it gets hot in the tent!)
The most “modern” cottage had packaged food, an electric kettle (I don’t even have an electric kettle), and a microwave. There was also a bathtub IN THE KITCHEN (with a hatch door that could come down on top of it). I think that might be a tough sell in today’s real-estate market?
The schoolhouse was my favourite stop.
Maestir School was built in the late 1800s and had a single classroom. There was a knowledgeable museum employee inside and… oof. School sounded especially rough back in the day. There was strict discipline and punishment for speaking Welsh (ironic, since now it’s being so highly promoted and encouraged).
This mirror at the entrance to the school was hilarious: AM I CLEAN & TIDY?
By this point, we had been exploring for a few hours and still hadn’t seen everything.
We stopped for a delightful picnic in the sunshine, complete with those fresh bakery items prepped on site. The kids played while the adults talked, and I have no photographs of any of it (Rachel took pictures and I cannot seem to find them on my phone; you’ll just have to take my word for it.)
Since we had other plans for the afternoon, it was time to wrap things up. Before heading out we stopped at the Pen-rhiw Chapel which is near the museum entrance.
The kids took turns in the pulpit.
Indy really committed to his message delivery.
Fire and brimstone? A dramatic appeal to the congregation for repentance??
A sailor preparing to come ashore?
It’s very easy to get your 10,000 steps at St Fagans.
By the end of the visit, Lily had discovered an excellent new mode of transportation: the back of a teenager. Great views and minimal effort. (I took one for the team and offered to carry dolly.)
We spent a few minutes wandering around the indoor galleries. I was especially keen on the display devoted to methods of getting warm. Electric blankets and hot-water bottles are one of my love languages!
There were some clothes to model… (my father-in-law wears “caps” just like this so we got a good chuckle watching Indy).
He quite enjoyed finding some heavy equipment to operate.
Thankfully, there were oversized deck chairs available for a rest stop.
FYI: they’re a great place for a little cat nap!
He needed the moment of rest because there was one final thing to explore: the museum sign.
I can think of no more fitting way to end this post than with a tree pose which is Indy’s official seal of approval.
Practical Tips for Visiting St Fagans
- This is a big, sprawling museum; some paths and buildings have uneven surfaces, slopes and steps. Flip-flops would be fine, but you’ll appreciate having decent footwear.
- Entry is free.
- Parking is not free (more info here); Rachel had a pass. (Thank you, Rachel!)
- You can bring picnic items into the grounds and there were various places to stop and eat.
- Allow at least half a day. We explored for several hours and still didn’t see everything.
- There’s a great gift shop!
- Bring cash if you want to purchase any of the bread/sweet items that are baked on site.
Your turn:
- Have you ever visited an open-air museum?
- I’ve toured a house with a toilet behind a half-wall inside the master bedroom (GROSS), but I’d never seen a bathtub in the kitchen. What about you?
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Bathtub in the kitchen makes sense- the water pipes already coming in for kitchen use. Not saying I’d want to have, mind, but I can see why someone might place it there.
Amazing place! Such a variety of buildings- and a gorgeous church. And that’s what a thatched roof looks like- not how I imagined – that’s really attractive. I’d never heard of this place – thanks for sharing!
I am dying over the “Am I clean and tidy?” mirror. Also, I didn’t want to say anything, but something was feeling “off” in your last few posts and now I know what it was. No tree poses!!!! The closest we got was Indy IN a tree. I think that your trip set the standard that there needs to be at least one Indy tree pose per post, regardless of the subject.
What an epic day with epic people!
Reading Birchie’s comment above- yes, it seems like it’s been a while since I’ve seen the famous tree pose!
This looks so fun- I love stuff like this. And I would have loved it as a kid- I can just imagine playing “school” in that old school room. Also- it’s funny because it seems like you’re mentioning weddings a lot lately! I’m thinking “Does Elisabeth always talk about weddings, or am I just picking up on it because I have wedding on my mind???”
I was thinking Rachel had twin girls- is that wrong? I obviously need to go back to her blog and look at the configuration of her family!
@Jenny it’s understandably confusing because there are a lot of kids… Ezra (7) and Lily (5) joined us for this trip. Aubrey and Clara (2.5 year old twins) stayed at home 🙂
I hadn’t visited the school until last year and it’s so cool! The museum has so many buildings I seem to find new ones every few years which is a real delight
Aww I love this post! I thought we hadn’t done that much of St. Fagans but we saw a lot! No wonder Lily was completely shattered for the rest of the day. I also cannot believe this was a month ago. What a super fun day. I also love reading your narration of something I was there for… the guide in the church *was* so keen to share info. so so keen….
What a beautiful place to visit. I loved the church and the thatched roof building. It looked liked everyone was having a blast!
If you are ever in the North East of England Beamish Open Air Museum in County Durham was the first and is arguably still the best living museum in the UK. It was Museum of the Year 2025. Sadly it’s not free but worth every penny to get in, and a ticket can be reused as many times as you want in a year.