National Museum Cardiff will open its doors from 6pm to 10pm on August 29 for a special Museum Lates event, offering visitors a chance to explore the galleries and view Luke Jerram's Helios installation after hours. The event is free, but tickets must be booked in advance due to limited capacity.
Helios Installation and Evening Atmosphere
Helios, a seven-metre-wide illuminated sculpture of the sun created with detailed NASA images, will be on display for free until August 31. The installation features an immersive soundscape and is designed to appeal to visitors of all ages.
Mared Maggs, head of National Museum Cardiff, said: "After seeing how much people loved Museum of the Moon, we’re delighted to welcome visitors back for something just as magical. Helios has a real sense of warmth and renewal and feels like the perfect way to welcome the summer months. It’s a brilliant, free experience for families during the school holidays."
During the evening event, visitors can enjoy a relaxed atmosphere and try a Helios-themed cocktail while wandering the historic building. The café bar will be open, serving a variety of drinks and snacks.
Exhibits and Collections on Display
The museum's highlights include the Evolution of Wales gallery, featuring moving animatronic dinosaurs and mammoths. The Natural Sciences Galleries display a nine-metre humpback whale skeleton hanging from the ceiling and the world's largest leatherback sea turtle, which washed up on a Welsh beach.
Separate wings showcase historic British and European art from 1500 to 1700, Welsh landscapes, and 18th-century ceramics. The Modern and Contemporary Art section features rotating displays of 20th and 21st-century works, supported by the Derek Williams Trust.
Upstairs, the museum houses one of Europe's top collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art, with masterpieces by Monet, Van Gogh, and Renoir. Families can also visit Helios and other exhibits during the day, but the late-night opening offers a unique way to experience the museum.
