National Museum Cardiff

National Museum Cardiff is the grand civic museum of Wales, set in Cathays Park among the white stone buildings of the city's civic centre, and admission is free. It combines a major art collection with natural history and geology, so you can see Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings in the morning and dinosaurs and the story of the Welsh landscape in the afternoon. The Evolution of Wales galleries trace the country from its earliest rocks to the Ice Age, and the art galleries bring together Welsh painters, European masters and a celebrated Impressionist collection. The building is part of the city's civic centre, and its Main Hall, with a cafe, makes an easy place to rest. It is the best rainy-day choice in Cardiff and costs nothing to enter.

Check the practical details first. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 to 4, with the galleries closing at 3.45, and it is open on bank holidays except Christmas, but it is closed on Mondays. Entry is free, funded by the Welsh Government, though a charge may apply to some special exhibitions, events and activities.

The museum recommends booking a free day ticket in advance so you receive any updates before you visit. The Main Hall cafe is open daily from 10 to 4 for drinks and snacks, and the museum is quieter from around 3, which suits a short late visit.

Choose what to see. If you have only an hour, pick between the art galleries and the natural history and Evolution of Wales galleries, because trying to see everything leads to tired legs. Art lovers should head for the Impressionist paintings and the Welsh art rooms, while children usually prefer the dinosaurs, animals and hands-on spaces. The museum also runs evening events and quiet sessions from time to time, so look at the What's On page if you are staying a few days. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Fit it into your day. The museum is about a ten minute walk from Cardiff Castle and sits beside the city hall and the university buildings, so it pairs naturally with a morning at the castle and a stroll through Bute Park. A free museum is also the best fallback for wet weather, and it is the cheapest way to see the highlights of Welsh culture in one place.

If you plan to visit St Fagans too, treat the two as a free double: this museum for art and natural history, and St Fagans for the story of everyday Welsh life.