Honouring the Past, Shaping the Future: A Community Conversation
In March 2026, around 50 people gathered at the John Burns Centre in Kidwelly for a lively and thoughtful community conversation about the future of the Kidwelly Tinplate Museum. Bringing together residents, heritage professionals and academic partners, the event marked an important first step in involving the community in shaping a reimagined site.
This project was funded by the Welsh Government’s Anti-Racist Wales Culture Fund (2025–26).
Morrigan Mason (CofGâr) opened the event by discussing the museum’s current state and the opportunity to reshape its future. She suggested the site could address social needs, provide youth training and jobs, and offer hands-on arts and heritage experiences. She also proposed using renewable energy and promoting biodiversity to reinterpret the site's industrial history, stressing collaboration with the community for a sustainable future.
Professor Louise Miskell and Dr Katherine Watson from Swansea University shared fresh findings about the tinplate industry’s history on a global scale. They emphasised that Kidwelly’s history reaches far beyond its local roots, connecting it to international networks of trade, industry and society.
The final speaker, Dr Marian Gwyn, explored how museums can present complex histories in ways that are meaningful and relevant today. She highlighted the role of heritage in education, encouraging museums to open up new perspectives and engage wider audiences.
Throughout the event, expert facilitators Alice Blackwell and Lorenza Bacino guided discussions, creating a welcoming and inclusive space for participants to share experiences, memories and ideas.
The conversations were overwhelmingly positive and forward-looking. Participants spoke passionately about the importance of the site to local identity and expressed a strong desire to be involved in its future. There was clear support for a museum that is open, inclusive and relevant, offering education, community space and new opportunities for young people.
Alongside this enthusiasm, participants also highlighted important considerations for the next stage. These included the need for clear communication and transparency, improvements to the condition and accessibility of the site, and confidence around long-term funding and delivery. There was also recognition that some of the newly uncovered global histories are complex and should be shared in ways that are accessible and meaningful for all audiences.
Above all, the event demonstrated real enthusiasm, skills and goodwill within the community alongside a shared expectation that local voices will continue to shape the project through an open and responsive “you said, we did” approach.
This project was funded by the Welsh Government’s Anti-Racist Wales Culture Fund (2025–26).