Built around a late-18th-century John Nash structure, this Gothic-revival building flaunts castellated towers, conical spires and flamboyant gargoyles. It was intended as a grand hotel in the mid-19th century, but it was sold to Aberystwyth University's founders before receiving a single guest. It hosts exhibitions and other temporary events, and there are plans to have a museum, restaurant, artists' spaces and other facilities in place for the building's sesquicentennial, in 2022.
Old College
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Centre for Alternative Technology
17.76 MILES
A small but dedicated band of enthusiasts have spent 40 years practising sustainability at the thought-provoking CAT, set in the Dyfi Unesco Biosphere…
-
15.76 MILES
Housed partly in the Tabernacle, a former Wesleyan chapel, the Museum of Modern Art exhibits work by contemporary Welsh artists in a permanent collection…
-
21.97 MILES
The Mawddach Estuary is a striking sight, flanked by woodlands, wetlands and the mountains of southern Snowdonia. There are two Royal Society for the…
-
14.77 MILES
This beautifully maintained Georgian country estate offers a fascinating insight into the life of the Welsh gentry and their staff 200 years ago. The…
-
0.84 MILES
On a hilltop east of town with a sensational view of Cardigan Bay, the National Library is a cultural powerhouse. Founded in 1916, it holds millions of…
-
Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre
17.98 MILES
You can learn more about Cardigan Bay's marine life here (in New Quay, 7 miles from Aberaeron) and also join a dolphin-survey boat trip, as researchers…
-
21.01 MILES
You're unlikely to miss Barmouth's foremost landmark: in fact, you'll probably arrive on it, by train, on foot or on two wheels. Curving scenically into…
-
26.24 MILES
Set in a beautiful wooded estate, this is the only known Roman goldmine in the UK. The exhibition and the mining machinery above ground are interesting,…
Nearby attractions
0.07 MILES
A much-truncated version of the 242m pleasure pier opened in 1865, the Royal Pier, repeatedly shortened by storm damage, lumbers 91m out to sea under the…
0.11 MILES
Commanding the junction of Great Darkgate and Pier Sts, Aberystwyth's clock tower is a replacement for the 1858 original, which had fallen into disrepair…
0.12 MILES
Erected between 1277 and 1289, Aberystwyth Castle was captured by Owain Glyndŵr at the start of the 15th century, then retaken by the future Henry V using…
0.21 MILES
This museum is in the three-storey Coliseum, which opened in 1905 as a theatre, then from 1932 served as a cinema promising 'amusement without vulgarity'…
0.7 MILES
A re-created 'relic' of the Victorian era, the camera obscura is an immense pinhole camera allowing you to see practically into the windows of the houses…
0.73 MILES
Constitution Hill rises from the northern end of the seafront promenade; on a clear day you can see the Llŷn Peninsula from its blustery top. After you've…
0.84 MILES
On a hilltop east of town with a sensational view of Cardigan Bay, the National Library is a cultural powerhouse. Founded in 1916, it holds millions of…
14.77 MILES
This beautifully maintained Georgian country estate offers a fascinating insight into the life of the Welsh gentry and their staff 200 years ago. The…