Ceredigion Museum is taking its collections and community work out into the open this summer with a free pop-up museum at Aberystwyth Bandstand, running every Tuesday from 11:00 to 16:00 while the museum building undergoes essential repairs.
Bringing the museum to the town
The museum team has devised a lively, family-friendly programme designed to keep heritage and creativity visible in the town centre. Each session will explore the themes of Home, Land and Rivers, combining storytelling, drop-in craft activities, demonstrations and contributions from local makers and community groups.
Storytelling will open each day at 11:00 with Peter Stevenson presenting tales of Ceredigion’s waterways using crankies — long illustrated scrolls set inside a wooden box and turned by handles. The storytelling runs until 12:00 and will also be available on demand until noon, catering for all ages from children to grandparents.
What to expect on the bandstand
- Drop-in craft activities linked to Home, Land and Rivers themes
- Live demonstrations, including coracle displays and clog dancing
- Sessions led by local makers, artists and community organisations
- Opportunities to join practical sustainability and community cooking activities
The programme has been supported by funding from the Welsh Federation of Museums and Art Galleries, enabling the museum to extend its reach while the main site is closed for work.
Highlighted events
Visitors can look forward to a varied set of activities across the Tuesdays listed in the programme. Notable sessions include coracle demonstrations and displays, clog dancing and music, sustainability workshops and community cooking.
| Date | Activity | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 21 July | Coracle demonstrations and displays | 12:00–16:00 |
| 28 July | Clog dancing, costume and music with Alaw Griffiths | 12:00–16:00 |
| 4 August | Coracle displays; Eco Hub Aber sustainability activities | 12:00–16:00 |
| 11 August | Lego Club — building inspired by rivers, land and sea | 12:00–16:00 |
| 18 August | Ein Cegin — community cooking and sustainable food | 12:00–15:00 |
| 25 August | Coracle displays (different coracle type); Ymylon family activities | 12:00–16:00 |
"The pop-up will explore the themes of Home, Land and Rivers, with drop-in craft activities, storytelling, demonstrations and contributions from local organisations."
The coracle sessions promise particular local interest. The programme notes that coracle demonstrations will feature two different types of coracle, with tools, materials, paddles and illustrative displays to give a rounded picture of the craft. For those interested in traditional music and dance, the 28 July session features clog dancing and the possibility of an impromptu twmpath.
Other activities are aimed at encouraging practical, community-led action. Eco Hub Aber will host sustainability and biodiversity-focused activities, while Ein Cegin will share approaches to nourishing, sustainably produced food. Creative making is represented by botanical mono-printing with Maeve Moran and a Lego Club session inviting children and families to build creations inspired by rivers, land and sea.
This pop-up offers a way for Aberystwyth residents and visitors to remain connected with Ceredigion Museum’s collections and local stories during the building closure. By placing activities at the bandstand — a central, accessible location along the seafront — the museum team is ensuring that heritage work remains part of everyday life in the town this summer.
Sessions run every Tuesday from 11:00 to 16:00, with storytelling at 11:00 and drop-in activities from 12:00 until 16:00. The pop-up is free to attend.
