Newtown Textile Museum has developed new and improved, free activities for children, as well as the young at heart.
Families are being encouraged to visit the museum, located in Commercial Street, for an enjoyable day out and opportunity to learn about Newtown.
Every Tuesday in the summer holidays, the museum, situated in Commercial Street, is running drop-in tapestry weaving sessions for adults to enjoy with their children from 2-4pm.
Other highlights include Siân the sheep mascot trail, Tomos the Mouse children’s guidebook, a number spinning challenge, story books to read in fairy tale parts of the museum, dress up like a Victorian weaver, Victorian toy selection and post a card to Siân the Sheep.
The museum has developed new activities thanks to a grant from the Family Friendly Museum Support Programme run by Kids in Museums and supported by the Welsh Government.
New product lines sourced from local craftspeople and producers are now stocked in the museum shop, which has proved very successful in recent years.
The museum is open every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, from 12 noon to 4pm. For more information, visit https://newtowntextilemuseum.co.uk/ or check Facebook and Instagram.
The museum is a member of Mid Wales Tourism (MWT Cymru), an independent organisation representing more than 600 tourism and hospitality businesses across Powys, Ceredigion and Southern Eryri (Snowdonia).
Housed in an original handloom weaving factory, built in the 1830s, volunteer-run museum brings to life the town’s industrial heritage, showing how people lived and worked in the building and the processes involved in turning fleece into flannel.
In addition, industries linked to wool – tanning, clog making and drapers’ shops, including the Pryce Jones family who pioneered mail order – are also featured.
Newtown was the centre for handloom weaving in the 1830s and the museum is the last of 82 such buildings remaining in anything like its original condition.
The original handloom weaving factory comprised six back-to-back cottages with each having one room each on the ground and first floors to house up to 10 people. The two floors above, which ran the whole length of the building, housed the looms.
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