Hip Hop: A Welsh Story – the brilliant new exhibition at National Museum Cardiff

Paid collaboration with National Museum Cardiff

Hip Hop: A Welsh Story at National Museum Cardiff is a vibrant look at how hip hop has shaped Welsh culture since it arrived here in 1982.

The exhibition opened a few days ago just in time for the summer holidays and is perfect if you’ve got teens or tweens, charting the rise of the genre in both Welsh and English over the last 40+ years.

Set over three rooms in the museum’s upstairs art galleries, Hip Hop: A Welsh Story is filled with videos and photos charting hip hop’s rise in Wales in both English and Welsh, as it spread across the world from its origins in the party scene of the Bronx in New York. There’s clothing and accessories from different eras, a turntable where you can spin your own tunes, a graffiti wall where you can add your own tag, and fascinating facts about the first hip hop records and festivals in Wales.

You can listen to and read the experiences of people who shaped, and continue to shape, the genre in Wales in both Welsh and English, and find out more about the role of Welsh artists on the world stage, as well as learning about how the music has given a voice to communities who are often overlooked or silenced, as well as addressing discrimination, inequality and racism.

Big names from the local scene feature, such as DJ Jaffa (Jason Farrell), Me One (Eric Martin), prominent Welsh language acts Mr Phormula and Dom a Lloyd, and lots more.

There’s even an accompanying playlist on Spotify, put together by Kaptin Barrett, rapper, DJ, music promoter and former head of music for Boomtown when it was the UK’s largest independent festival. One of the leading names on the Welsh hip hop scene, he curated the exhibition for the museum, interviewing more than 60 different people to ensure the exhibition is a true reflection of all kinds of people and experiences.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t know anything about hip hop, the exhibition is accessible to all and is a fascinating introduction.

There’s even a glossary of words and terminology for anyone who wants to sound like they know what they’re talking about.

I especially love that the exhibition is located upstairs in the museum, in the midst of its famous art galleries, proving that all kinds of culture are valid and help to shape a society.

Hip Hop: A Welsh Story is at National Museum Cardiff until Sunday 22 February 2026. The exhibition is free but you’ll need to book a ticket in advance.

National Museum Cardiff is open Tuesdays to Sundays 10am–5pm. It’s closed on Mondays  but open Bank Holiday Mondays.

Entry to the museum is free, although donations help support its work

See National Museum Cardiff’s website for more details.