The Royal Institution of South Wales is a very special organisation, one of the few such institutions to survive into the twenty-first century. Founded in 1835, it opened Wales’s first museum in 1841, running it until 1990, and it remains today a thriving centre of culture. RISW’s original lecture theatre, library and laboratory demonstrate its early involvement in scientific research and education. This substantial and richly illustrated book sets the story in context – in local, national and international terms – and presents RISW as a significant contributor to the accumulation and dissemination of knowledge. The book covers the growth of RISW, the notable members it attracted, later challenges it faced and its survival into the world of today. The formation of the museum’s many varied collections is described by leading specialists, including the developing sciences – geology; natural history; botany; archaeology; Egyptology and photography; the decorative arts; historical records; coins; maps; and costume. 

The Royal Institution of South Wales is a very special organisation, one of the few such institutions to survive into the twenty-first century. Founded in 1835, it opened Wales’s first museum in 1841, running it until 1990, and it remains today a thriving centre of culture. RISW’s original lecture theatre, library and laboratory demonstrate its early involvement in scientific research and education. This substantial and richly illustrated book sets the story in context – in local, national and international terms – and presents RISW as a significant contributor to the accumulation and dissemination of knowledge. The book covers the growth of RISW, the notable members it attracted, later challenges it faced and its survival into the world of today. The formation of the museum’s many varied collections is described by leading specialists, including the developing sciences – geology; natural history; botany; archaeology; Egyptology and photography; the decorative arts; historical records; coins; maps; and costume.