AN ICONIC building which was once the heart of community life in a Caerphilly town will be in the spotlight again as it celebrates its 100th birthday.
Oakdale Workmen’s Institute – or the ’Stute as it was known locally – is celebrating its centenary with Cardiff-based St Fagans National History Museum, as part of a new exhibition on the building.
The 'Oakdale 100' project saw museum curators revisit the archives – digging out photographs, oral history interviews and objects – to help bring the building's history alive with community voices.
Although the institute moved to St Fagans in 1989, it has proved one of the most popular exhibits at the museum.
The Workmen’s Institute was built in Oakdale in 1917 from funds raised by the workers and became central to community life in the village until it was moved to St Fagans.
The building is visited by around 500,000 people each year and also serves an important role as a venue hire facility, hosting conferences and wedding parties.
To mark its centenary year, members of the Oakdale community will also be invited to the event.
For more information, visit: museum.wales/stfagans
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