Bailey Bevun Farmrange

Explorer Tom Radnorshire Museum has packed an old county into a former library in Llandrindod Wells, with fossils, old maps and human stories refusing to stay in separate boxes. Tom came hunting for one neat timeline and found a Welsh triple harp instead. The building seems delighted to have made his day more complicated. The museum occupies the former Carnegie Public Library and cares for collections from the old county of Radnorshire. Its geology and fossils reach far beyond any human record, while archaeology brings visitors back to settlements and objects made by people. Art, natural history and local photographs add different ways to see the same country. A log boat from Llandrindod and finds from Castell Collen are among the distinctive objects described by the museum. Give each item its own date and context rather than making one impossible procession across the room. The town's spa history deserves attention too. People came to Llandrindod for its waters, and later photographs and objects show how that trade changed streets and routines. Look from a specimen to an old image of the town, then ask what has survived outdoors. Tom claims the fossils are waiting for a spa treatment; they have endured rather longer than most visitors' patience. Powys Council runs the museum on Temple Street with free general admission. Check current opening and any temporary closure notice before setting out; displays can change. The collections reward a slow circuit even if you know little about the county. Leave with one object in mind and look for its link to the hills, buildings or people beyond the museum door.