Plans revealed for museum in Cardiff Bay
PLANS for a new museum of military medicine in Cardiff Bay have been revealed.
The new museum would be based in a five-storey building and have spaces for exhibitions, a library and archive, an innovation and research centre, a cafe and shops.
If approved by Cardiff council, the plans would see the museum move from its current home at Keogh Barracks near Aldershot to Britannia Park in Cardiff Bay.
The museum would tell the history the four corps of the Army Medical Services – the Royal Army Medical Corps, the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, the Royal Army Dental Corps and the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps.
It would hold the national collection of military uniforms and insignia, medical, dental and veterinary equipment, ambulances, art and an archive of men and women who served in the corps.
The new museum would be built on land formally occupied by The Tube building, which was an exhibition space and visitor centre.
The museum’s archives – which go back to the Napoleonic Wars – would be used by researchers in medicine and medical history.
A planning application submitted to Cardiff council says the new facility “will engage audiences with world class immersive and interactive displays”.
“The history of these four corps are testament to the dedication of men and women in the service of the sick and wounded, including animals,” the statement says.
“The intention is that the new museum will tell the story of the four constituent corps in a way that is engaging, interactive and lively, and will meet the expectations of contemporary audiences. The facility is intended to be of national/international importance and has received enthusiastic support from Welsh Government and Cardiff City Council.”
The new museum would mean Cardiff Bay’s Grade II-listed Lock Keeper’s Cottage, Beastie Benches public art and a children’s play area would have to be relocated.
The statement says: “Cardiff Bay has a direct connection with the Army Medical Services story as it was the embarkation point for wounded soldiers in World War One on their way to the military hospitals in South Wales and the western side of England.”