Wrexham’s newly named Football Museum of Wales and Wrexham Museum, which is set to open this summer, will celebrate the history and future of Welsh football and will also display collections about the city and the area’s heritage.

Football Museum of Wales and Wrexham Museum

Wrexham Museum is currently undergoing a major redevelopment programme to transform it into a leading national visitor attraction. The Football Museum half of the building will celebrate football in Wales, past and present while, in the other half of the building, new galleries will be created to display the Wrexham Museum collections.

The redevelopment and rebranding is not just about an aesthetic change, but a vision for how the museum will honour the stories, triumphs and memories of football fans and players alike. The new destination will celebrate football’s role in Welsh culture and community, demonstrating how sport, heritage and local history continue to connect people across generations. 

Wrexham is often referred to as ‘the spiritual home of Welsh football’; a nickname gained long before the recent global attention the city has attracted following the takeover of Wrexham AFC by Hollywood stars, Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds.

Wrexham AFC was established in 1864, making it the oldest professional football club in Wales and the third oldest in the world and, in 1876, the Football Association of Wales was founded in the city during a meeting at the Wynnstay Arms Hotel.

Their ground, the Racecourse, hosted the nation’s first home international match in 1877, and some of Wales’s most successful players have come from or played in Wrexham including Billy Meredith, Mark Hughes, Robbie Savage and, more recently, Neco Williams. 

Alwyn Jones, Chief Executive of Wrexham County Borough, said: “Our interactive exhibitions and public programming will offer a unique opportunity for those interested in both Wrexham’s and Welsh Football’s cultural tapestry, to explore and celebrate our fascinating history.”

Wrexham Museum is home to the official Welsh Football Collection – the largest collection relating to Welsh football in public ownership. The museum has cared for the collection for over twenty years during which time it has been used in more than a dozen exhibitions, as well as being a resource for researchers, TV production companies and other museums.

New logo of Football Museum of Wales and Wrexham Museum

Janet Redler, Managing Director of Janet Redler Travel, said: “The exciting redevelopment of Wrexham Museum to incorporate the Football Museum of Wales will help to cement Wrexham’s reputation as the spiritual home of Welsh football. It will provide football fans from all over the world with a must-see destination when they come to enjoy a match in the city.”

If you or your group would like to enjoy a visit to Wrexham on a tailor-made tour of Wales, please do contact our friendly team today. Or perhaps you would like to go to a football match when you’re in the UK? If so, we can help!

Photos and logo © Football Museum of Wales and Wrexham Museum