Collection: Torfaen Museum

Collection-level records:

• Collection overview (Collection development policy)

  Museum background 

  The museum was founded by the Torfaen Museum Trust in 1978, a registered charity with the purpose and intention to “preserve, interpret, disseminate and celebrate local culture and bring the culture of other communities to the communities of Torfaen and beyond.” It is based in Pontypool and aims to showcase the history of Torfaen, from Pontypool town’s early foundation in the iron and tin industries to the mining communities of Blaenavon and the development of Cwmbran New Town in the 1950s.

   

  Collections overview

  The museum’s collections represent all periods of Torfaen’s history, ranging from prehistory to the current century. There are large domestic, social and industrial history collections.

  Unique collections consist of the nationally recognised Pontypool Japanware collection and the Pooler (Pontypool Rugby Football Club) collection.

  There is also an art collection which focuses on Torfaen people, places and events.

  The Dobell-Moseley Library and Archive holds the museum’s archival resources including photographs, documents, posters, letters, diaries, maps, plans and local newspapers. The photographic collections include negatives from the local newspaper, The Pontypool Free Press, covering the period 1970s-2000 and a large collection of glass negatives dating from the late 1800s to the mid 1900s.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2022

  Licence: CC BY-NC