THE MUSEUM at Mold's Library has reopened to the public following a transformation with new and fascinating displays showcasing the town's history.

On Tuesday, June 25 Aura Wales was delighted to invite key local stakeholders and service users, together with children from local primary school Ysgol Bryn Gwalia, to the highly-anticipated launch of the refurnished museum at Mold Library.

Image 1: Aura’s Sarah Pevely (Assistant Curator), Sophie Fish (Museums, Heritage and Culture Manager) and Sara Mogel (Chair of the Board) oversee the ribbon cutting ceremony.Image 1: Aura’s Sarah Pevely (Assistant Curator), Sophie Fish (Museums, Heritage and Culture Manager) and Sara Mogel (Chair of the Board) oversee the ribbon cutting ceremony. (Image: Aura Leisure & Libraries)

The refurbishment represents a £360,000 investment in the county's heritage, with Aura securing £300,000 from the Welsh Government's Museums, Archives and Libraries Division (MALD). 

Th remaining sum was match-funded by Flintshire County Council and Aura.

The enchanted museum now serves as a fitting tribute to the rich and varied history of the town of Mold, and it is hoped that it will be a draw for both local residents and tourists visiting north Wales.

Pupils from Ysgol Bryn Gwalia in Mold listen to Sarah Pevely (Assistant Curator).Pupils from Ysgol Bryn Gwalia in Mold listen to Sarah Pevely (Assistant Curator). (Image: Aura Leisures & Libraries)

Mold is already synonymous with the wonderful Bronze Age Cape discovered in 1833, the original of which is housed in the British Museum in London.

However, an amazing replica is on display in Mold's museum and provides a window through which we can look into the past.

In more recent times, nearby Rhydymwyn Valley was involved in the initial research and development of nuclear weapons, the precursor to the Manhattan Project.

The new displays at Mold Museum provide an insight into the unique and fascinating stories from the area. With improved museum cases and environmental conditions, Aura is now able to display a number of artefacts for the first time, including 12,000-year-old animal bones from the last Ice Age.

A 'threads of inspiration' theme has been adopted to link the artistic talents of the town, with Daniel Owen, arguably Mold's most famous son, using material threads in his tailor's shop.

Similarly, this local thread is reflected in the work of artist Richard Wilson who used the landscape of the area to inspire his paintings, a number of which are now on display.

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Speaking at the launch ceremony, prior to cutting the official ribbon, Sara Mogel OBE, Chair of Aura, thanked users of Mold Library for their invaluable insight in helping to decide what should be included in the refurbished museum and how it should look.

Mrs Mogel said: "Today is the culmination of a lot of hard work and reinforces Aura's commitment to investing in the local community. 

"I hope that the much improved museum at Mold will engage families, local groups and schools, and create a sense of ownership and pride in the town's history."