Officials Consider Temporary Closure of National Museum Cardiff 2026

Key Points

• National Museum Cardiff may need to temporarily close to allow for major improvement and redevelopment work.
• The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) says Amgueddfa Cymru (Museum Wales) is “considering the possibility” of a temporary closure, according to the BBC.
• Amgueddfa Cymru states that any decision to close would be subject to a full review and consultation with staff, volunteers, visitors and the wider community.
• The museum is approaching its centenary in 2027, prompting a push to ensure the building is fit for purpose for future generations.
• A design team – AHR and C.F. Møller Architects – has been appointed to explore redevelopment options and enable maintenance works.
• Enabling works already include upgrades needed for maintenance purposes, positioning the museum for wider future works if approved.
• PCS says it is discussing the impact on staff, protection of collections and future operation, but warns that the length of any closure remains uncertain.
• In 2024, chief executive Jane Richardson warned that the museum could close if funding was not secured to repair a deteriorating building.
• In February 2025, building maintenance and health and safety concerns forced the museum to close for a few days.
• For 2024–25, the Welsh Government allocated £30.5m grant-in-aid to Amgueddfa Cymru, with additional funding boosts announced in September 2024 and May 2025.

Cardiff (Wales Times) July 01, 2026 – National Museum uk/local/cardiff/">Cardiff may need to temporarily close to allow for redevelopment, according to officials, as Amgueddfa Cymru confirms that the possibility is being considered while the museum approaches its centenary next year. As reported by the BBC, the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) said that Amgueddfa Cymru, which runs the historical city-centre site, is “considering the possibility” of temporary closure to allow for improvement works.

Amgueddfa Cymru said in an online statement that any planned decision to temporarily close the museum “will be subject to a full review and consultation”, adding that with the museum approaching its centenary next year, it is looking at options for potential improvement and redevelopment to maintain and preserve the building and enhance the experience for visitors, ensuring it is fit for purpose for future generations. The museum, Wales’s national cultural institution, is one of seven sites run by Amgueddfa Cymru.

Why is a temporary closure now being considered?

The National Museum Cardiff is approaching its centenary in 2027, which has intensified scrutiny on the condition of the historic building and its suitability for future use. In 2024, the museum’s chief executive Jane Richardson said that the National Museum Cardiff could close if funding was not provided to repair the deteriorating building. Richardson told BBC Radio Wales: “Unless we’re able to secure more funding for that building, [we] will have to close… when you have water coming through and failing electrics, there is a question hanging over the future of that building anyway”.

These concerns were not theoretical. In February 2025, “building maintenance and health and safety concerns” forced the museum to close for a few days, highlighting ongoing vulnerabilities in the building’s infrastructure and mechanical systems. Taken together, these issues have prompted Amgueddfa Cymru to consider a more comprehensive approach to improvement rather than repeated short-term fixes.

Political and funding context

The museum’s financial situation has been under public debate for several years. For the 2024–25 financial year, the Welsh Government (Senedd) allocated £30.5m grant-in-aid to Amgueddfa Cymru, according to Audit Wales. This was supplemented in September 2024 by a £940,000 funding boost, and in May 2025 the Labour-run government announced £3m in additional funding for “urgent works” at the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth and Amgueddfa Cymru, focused on National Museum Cardiff.

In May 2026, Plaid Cymru won the most seats in the Welsh Senedd elections but did not achieve a majority. In its manifesto, the Welsh nationalist party pledged a “new level of investment in art, culture and sport” across Wales. The government was contacted about the future budget for Amgueddfa Cymru, adding a political dimension to discussions about how the museum’s redevelopment will be funded.

What are the proposed improvement and redevelopment plans?

Amgueddfa Cymru recently appointed a design team – AHR and C.F. Møller Architects – which the group said in a statement means that “enabling works needed for maintenance purposes” can now be carried out. These works would, according to the statement, put the museum in the “best possible position to move forward with wider works should this be progressed in future”.

The appointment of the design team is a key step in exploring potential improvement and redevelopment options. It allows Amgueddfa Cymru to assess the building’s condition in detail, develop conceptual options and prepare the groundwork for a business case if further investment is secured.

Scope of potential works

While precise details of the wider redevelopment remain to be finalized, the focus is on maintaining and preserving the building and enhancing the visitor experience. Amgueddfa Cymru’s statement emphasises that the aim is to ensure the museum is “fit for purpose for future generations”. This could involve structural repairs, upgrades to heating, ventilation and electrical systems, improved accessibility, modernised galleries and better facilities for visitors and staff.

Any such work would have to respect the historical and architectural character of the building, which is subject to listed status and planning controls. Works would also need to be coordinated with Cardiff Council as the Local Planning Authority and, where relevant, heritage bodies.

How will staff, the public and unions be involved?

Amgueddfa Cymru has stressed that any decision to close the museum temporarily would not be taken without broad engagement. In its online statement, the organisation said that any planned decision to temporarily close the museum “will be subject to a full review and consultation”. This implies structured discussions with staff, volunteers, visitors, local communities and other stakeholders.

The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS), which represents many museum workers, said it is discussing “the impact on staff, the protection of collections and the future operation of the museum”. Until those discussions have progressed further, PCS said it would be premature to speculate on the length of any closure or the implications for its members. PCS was contacted for further comment.

Welsh Government position

In 2024, Wales’s then culture secretary Lesley Griffiths said that the National Museum Cardiff would not close and that the Welsh government was looking at

“specific funding [for the museum] over the next few years”.

The current Welsh Government has acknowledged awareness of the discussions over a possible closure, reiterating that no decisions have been made and that any decision regarding options will depend on several factors, including a complete consultation.

What happens if the museum does close temporarily?

If National Museum Cardiff closes temporarily, current and planned exhibitions would be affected, along with educational programmes, school visits and community events. During the brief February 2025 closure, visitors with booked tickets for the “Strike!” exhibition were offered the option to exchange tickets for a future date once the museum reopens or receive a full refund. A similar approach would likely be adopted for any extended closure.

The museum is a key anchor in Cathays Park, drawing visitors who also use nearby cafes, shops and transport links. A temporary closure might reduce footfall in the area, impacting local businesses that depend on museum visitors. For Amgueddfa Cymru, the challenge will be to manage the closure carefully, maintain communication with visitors and minimise disruption to the cultural offer in Cardiff.

Protection of collections and research

The museum holds major art, heritage and science collections, some of which are used for research and education. Enabling works and wider redevelopment would need to prioritise the safety and environmental stability of these collections. Amgueddfa Cymru has stated that

“the safety and welfare of our visitors, staff, and the conservation of our collections will always be our highest priority”,

suggesting that any closure would be managed with strong safeguards for the collections.

Background: How this development has emerged

The possibility of a temporary closure at National Museum Cardiff is the latest stage in a longer process of concern and planning around the building’s future. In 2024, chief executive Jane Richardson publicly warned that the museum could close if funding was not secured to repair a deteriorating building, citing water ingress and failing electrics. In February 2025, maintenance and health and safety concerns forced a short closure, reinforcing internal recognition that the building required more than piecemeal fixes.

By 2026, these concerns had evolved into formal discussions about potential improvement and redevelopment. Amgueddfa Cymru appointed a design team to explore options and began enabling works, while the Welsh Government and political parties debated future funding levels. The approach of the museum’s centenary in 2027 has added urgency to these discussions, with officials emphasising the need to ensure the building is fit for purpose for future generations.

Prediction: How this could affect visitors, students and Cardiff’s cultural audience

If National Museum Cardiff closes temporarily for redevelopment, the most immediate impact will be on visitors who rely on the museum for cultural, educational and leisure activities. Families, school groups and tourists planning trips to Cardiff may need to adjust itineraries, seek alternative attractions or delay visits until the museum reopens. For students in Wales and the wider UK, including those studying art, history, heritage and science, the closure could limit access to original artworks, historical artefacts and scientific collections that are central to coursework and research. Digital resources and online exhibitions may partially offset this, but hands-on learning and direct engagement with objects would be reduced during the closure period.

The cultural economy of Cardiff could also be affected. National Museum Cardiff is a key anchor in Cathays Park, drawing visitors who also use nearby cafes, shops and transport links. A temporary closure might reduce footfall in the area, impacting local businesses that depend on museum visitors. For Amgueddfa Cymru, the challenge will be to balance necessary investment with minimal disruption, ensuring that when the museum reopens it offers an improved, safer and more accessible environment. If the redevelopment succeeds and funding is secured, the long-term outcome could be a modernised museum better suited to its centenary and future generations, potentially increasing visitor numbers and enhancing Cardiff’s status as a cultural destination. However, if consultation processes are lengthy, funding is delayed or construction takes longer than expected, the period of limited access could be extended, deepening the impact on audiences and local partners.