National Museum Cardiff

The first position on the list of the most beautiful historical sites in Cardiff is the National Museum Cardiff. The museum is a member of Amgueddfa Cymru's larger network of national museums in Wales. Funding from the Welsh Government keeps admission free, however, they do solicit donations all over the museum.

Following Edward I's conquest of Wales in 1283, Caernarfon Castle's construction started, and it was finally finished in 1330. The king surrounded the insurgent nation with an "iron ring" of fortresses, which included Caernarfon, Conwy, Harlech, and Beaumaris, to solidify his control over it. With elements evoking both Arthurian mythology and imperial Rome, Caernarfon Castle was a grand and imposing combination of the castle, royal residence, and political center.

The National Museum Cardiff now houses collections of biology, geology, fine and applied art, and botany. The St. Fagans National Museum of History now houses the archaeology division. Wales' national art collections, which include everything from paintings and sketches to sculpture and ceramics, are displayed on the museum's first floor. It houses one of the best Impressionist painting collections in Britain as well as contemporary works by top international artists.

Old Masters including Turner, Monet, Rodin, and Van Gogh, as well as traditional landscape paintings and artwork created by or commissioned by wealthy Welsh manufacturers during the last century, are all on show at the National Museum of Art, which opened in 2011. Francis Bacon and Pablo Picasso both created pieces of contemporary art.

Location: Cathays Park, Cardiff, Wales