Today marks the reopening of the Vulcan Hotel, one of Cardiff’s most renowned pubs, now located at St Fagans National Museum of History just outside the city. The pub, which shut down in 2012, has been meticulously reconstructed brick by brick.
The Vulcan Hotel, established as an ‘ale house’ in 1853, served the predominantly Irish community of what was then known as Newtown. Throughout its history, the pub witnessed significant changes as Cardiff evolved into an industrial hub and subsequently the capital of the nation.
After a significant public campaign to prevent its demolition, the owners of the Vulcan Hotel transferred the building to Amgueddfa Cymru — Museum Wales in 2012. The museum’s historic building team relocated and reassembled the cherished Cardiff landmark at St Fagans.
Presently, the pub is showcased as it appeared in 1915, a pivotal year marked by major renovations that introduced distinctive green and brown tiles to its facade and an interior redesign.
The Vulcan now offers an exclusive beer crafted by Glamorgan Brewing Co. Visitors can enjoy a beer flight featuring three one-third pint samples, specially developed in collaboration with the museum.
Bethan Lewis, head of museum at St Fagans National Museum of History, expressed enthusiasm about the pub’s addition to their collection of historic buildings, noting the meticulous efforts to restore the 1915 version of the pub.
Jane Richardson, chief executive at Amgueddfa Cymru, highlighted the Vulcan Hotel’s role in enriching the museum’s offerings by illustrating the story of Newtown and its Irish community.
The museum invites the public to continue supporting The Vulcan’s legacy by contributing to the project. More information is available at the Museum Wales website under the Support the Vulcan Hotel project section.