The National Waterfront Museum Reviews Summary

Exhibits and Design

Pros:

• "Design and layout of the Museum is quite extraordinary with appropriate Signages across the site! Easy to follow!"
• "Fantastic few hours out with the children looking at all manner of machinery."
• "Such an interesting place, well worth a visit - great exhibitions, a large number of interactive exhibits on a variety of topics."
• "There Is a Sinclair C5 for visitors to sit in, and interesting maritime and industrial displays, some interactive."
• "Great (free) museum, superbly located alongside the marina."
• "Fascinating exhibition about the Swansea to Abercrave canal."
• "Lovely museum to learn about the history of Wales metal industry."

Cons:

• "Good Museum but over designed... lighting levels are very low which can make reading labels difficult."
• "Very few exhibits in the space that they have."
• "But I just didn't feel there was anything very maritime about it or museum like, and very few actual exhibits to look at."
• "Only disappointment is that it's about Swansea but no story, just a series of exhibits."
• "Wasn't much there. For the size of the building. What was there felt like it was plonked there."
• "The lighting is so artsy that it's impossible to actually see some of the bits they do have on display."
• "Most of the exhibits are very poorly lit, some to the point of not being able to view them at all."

Facilities and Accessibility

Pros:

• "With much car parking space adjacent to the site - managing a visit with younger historians couldn't be easier."
• "A nice cafe that also does lunch time menus and at reasonable prices."
• "Very clean toilets, lockers available, cafe, gift shop and balcony for great photos of Swansea marina."
• "The cafe by the main information desk offers good food and efficient, friendly service."
• "The coffee shop is great for lunches, with vegetarian options and a small play area for the kids."
• "Free Toilets Very Clean."
• "Plenty of parking available close by too in St David's car park and free on a Sunday."

Cons:

• "The cafe area has been in complete mess, tables not being cleaned."
• "The cafe, too, was an absolute shambles."
• "The gift shop was par. A little bland."
• "The cafe closed early, which was a shame. Why close before the centre closes."
• "Was disappointed that there wasn't any food available for lunch, we had to go outside to a nearby restaurant."
• "Poor signage to find it on foot from the park and ride bus stop but that's not the museum's fault."
• "It's also badly advertised - there are literally no signs to it on the cycle path and the place was nearly empty."

Family and Educational Experience

Pros:

• "Pleasant to walk along the waterfront in sunshine afterwards, quite a buzzing area."
• "A fantastic resource which has been here forever it seems, but keeps getting better."
• "It is a really great venue. Well worth a visit, on your own, couples or families."
• "Came with my elderly Mum for the Wartime themed tea dance. A wonderful free event."
• "Fabulous exhibitions which change regularly so there's always something new to look at and learn."
• "Great local educational resource."
• "Lots of interactive exhibits and video presentations make for an enjoyable experience."

Cons:

• "It's really not worth the effort it's quite possibly of the worst museum I've ever seen."
• "Without doubt the worst museum I have been to anywhere in the world."
• "Not that great a place to bring young children. Exhibits are quite dry and the building a bit tricky to navigate with a buggy."
• "Only criticism is the lack of natural history which I think appeals more to children."
• "Terrible place. Very cold and lacking any atmosphere."
• "Wales has a fantastic maritime and industrial history which this museum totally fails to do justice too."
• "Sadly this is not a good museum, most of the exhibits... descriptive text again poorly lit and you’re almost on your knees to read them."