Of course, we’re all hoping for a scorching bank holiday here in Snowdonia which will mean we can spend all weekend on the beach topping up our tan and frolicking in the lovely blue seas of Cardigan Bay……..

However, we all know that this is August, in Wales, and so although we’re optimistic, we are also realists so we’re fully prepared for the usual soggy summer bank holiday. And, always ones for being prepared here’s an option for a plan B to the beach….. Here in Snowdonia there’s a wealth of history and culture right at our fingertips – from the coastal castles to the Victorian mines. There’s always something to discover, and if the weather does take a turn for the worse then this pick of North Wales Museums will mean you can shelter from the rain and delve into Wales’ unique history and culture at the same time!

Here’s our top North Wales Museums to visit this summer….

• The National Slate Museum, Llanberis – much of Snowdonia’s history is intrinsically linked with the slate mining industry of the 19th century so this fascinating museum is a great way to delve into the fascinating past of the region, with demonstrations, imaginative interpretation, lots of big machines and even quarry men’s houses as they would have been. Click here for more information
• Beaumaris Gaol, Anglesey – head back in time to the punishments of the early 19th century with a trip to Beaumaris Gaol which was built in 1829. The gaol features the only original tread wheel in Britain. This haunting museum gives a dramatic insight into the life of a Victorian prisoner, and it wasn’t an easy one! See here for more information.
• Aberconwy House, Conwy – this fascinating reconstructed Medieval Merchant’s House in Conwy is one of the only ones to have survived from the period so you’ll get a true glimpse of what life was like in Medieval Wales. More information here
• Anglesey Transport Museum, Anglesey – Walk back in time and see dozens of classic vehicles, all set in a replica cobbled street. See here for more information
• The Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum – Housed in Caernarfon Castle, this fascinating museum tells the story of over 300 years of service by Wales’ oldest infantry regiment, in peacetime and in war, all around the world. For more details, please see here
• Lloyd George Museum, Criccieth – Delve into the life and times of one of Britain’s best known and loved Prime Ministers who was brought up here in North Wales. Click here for more information.
• Cae’r Gors, Caernarfon – Kate Roberts is one of Wales’ most renowned authors as she became famous for chronicling the life and times of the Welsh working classes in the Victorian era. Her former home has now been converted into a museum about her life and times. Click here for more details
• Porthmadog Maritime Museum – the history of the harbour town of Porthmadog is fascinating to say the least, and is closely entwined with the fate of the local slate industry. You can learn all about it at the quaint maritime museum on the harbour side. More information here