WIREDGOV

Tourism Minister, Edwina Hart has announced Welsh Government funding of £2.3 million towards the creation of a visitor centre at the Royal Mint’s headquarters in Llantrisant. The £7.7 million project will create a key tourist destination in South Wales for domestic and overseas visitors whilst providing an economic boost for the local area 

For the first time in its 1,000 year history, Britain’s oldest manufacturing organisation, and the world’s leading export mint, will officially open its doors to the general public, allowing them to get behind the scenes and see for themselves the people and processes that put the pounds and pennies in their pockets.  

Construction of the purpose built visitor centre at The Royal Mint’s home in Llantrisant will begin this spring, subject to planning permission, and is expected to be completed by summer 2015.

Welsh Government funding will enable The Royal Mint to safeguard 150 jobs within its commemorative coin division while also creating a number of new jobs both in the development and delivery of the visitor centre.

Visitors will have the opportunity to take a tour of The Royal Mint to see exactly how the coins they use every day are designed and made. This will not just be of interest to UK visitors; The Royal Mint currently makes coins and medals for approximately 60 countries worldwide, so visitors from around the world will be able to see where their coins are created.

And in an opportunity that is sure to delight young and old alike, guests will have the ability to strike their own coin as an everlasting memento of their visit.

As well as gaining first-hand knowledge of the journey which coins and medals make from start to finish, visitors will also be able to enjoy a range of static and engaging, interactive experiences that  will bring to life The Royal Mint’s rich heritage and reveal many rare and unusual coins and medals from the across the world.

Announcing the funding during a visit to The Royal Mint, Tourism Minister Edwina Hart said:

“The new visitor centre will be an all year and all weather visitor attraction showcasing a unique product and global brand and will incorporate a rich heritage resource alongside a live factory working environment. This project has the potential to be an iconic attraction for Wales.”

Shane Bissett, Director of Commemorative Coin and Bullion at The Royal Mint, said:

"The Royal Mint is a highly secure, Ministry of Defence-protected site which is not usually open to the public, with the exception of very special occasions and by invitation only.  We receive large numbers of requests to visit from members of the public every year and have been exploring the opportunity of a visitor centre for some time. It gives us great pleasure to announce that this can now go ahead, and that people will be able to come here and see the work of one of Britain’s national treasures.

“The visitor centre will enable us to take people behind the scenes of over 1,000 years of coin making history, to demonstrate our long-standing heritage and craftsmanship, and the innovation that harnesses state-of-the-art technology to achieve the highest standard of minting. We supply circulating and commemorative coins, as well as medals, to more than 60 different countries and as such we believe the new centre has the potential to draw visitors from all over the world."