Arts, Crafts and Traditions
Explore the creativity, skills and customs that shaped everyday life in Carmarthenshire and Wales
Through decorative objects, handmade crafts, and traditional items, it reveals how people expressed identity, affection, and belief across generations, using materials and techniques rooted in local life.
Carmarthenshire’s traditions linked the rhythms of the year with key moments in life. Discover customs such as the Mari Lwyd, harvest celebrations and the caseg ben fedi (harvest mare), as well as age-old practices surrounding weddings and funerals. Objects including bidding bells, cake and biscuit stamps, harvest items, and ceremonial pieces bring these vanished or evolving traditions to life, showing how communities came together to celebrate, mourn, and support one another.
The exhibition also highlights exceptional examples of Welsh craftsmanship. Love spoons—carved with hearts, birds, geometric patterns, and personal inscriptions—tell deeply personal stories of courtship and devotion. Carefully crafted household items, such as a Carmarthen watch stand and a decorated box, demonstrate the skill and pride of local makers. Alongside these is the story of Llanelly Pottery, produced from the early 19th century until 1922. From printed wares to designs hand-painted by skilled decorators, this pottery reflects both artistic expression and industrial expertise. Our sister site in Llanelli, Parc Howard Museum, displays some of the finest examples of Llanelly Pottery in the world.
Together, these objects offer a rich insight into the artistic traditions, craftsmanship, and cultural practices of Carmarthenshire.
More Arts, Crafts, and Traditions around the Museum
Woodworking skills were also used to design Welsh dressers. You will find three traditional Carmarthenshire dressers around the Museum. A contemporary re-imagining of a Carmarthenshire dresser can also be seen in the Create, Commission, Collect Gallery.
Woven baskets were a common sight in farmhouses across the county. The Discovery Gallery highlights the various forms that local basketry took, ranging from butter baskets and cockle baskets to bee skeps and coracle frames. All these natural products were used in efficient and sustainable ways.
Find out more about how we promote and support local heritage crafts through our Communities of Making network, part of the Going Places project with the Art Fund.
