Things to see and do in Newport Wales

This seems like a odd thing to put in a things to see article as it has been demolished. But Newport’s clock in the centre of John Frost Square was a great thing to see while it was still there. When the minute hand would strike 12, on the hour every hour a mechanical system would start to come to life. The whole clock comes to life with hatches opening, pendulums, bells and gadgets appear in all manner of places. Then small metal men with wings come out and large bird waddles around. The clock was sadly taken down in 2007 as part of the city’s redevelopment, but from what I have read it will be missed.

Another unusual attraction to visit, but this time is still standing is the transporter bridge that spans the river Usk. The reason it is something you need to see, is that there are apparently only around 10 of these bridges in the world and few of these are still operational. The bridge is free to cross or 50p if travelling by car and every so often if you are lucky they allow you to climb to the top and walk along the top and see the spectacular views. We also recommend you visit the visitor centre and learn a bit about the bridges history and purchase some souvenirs as the bridge has been running at a financial loss for years. .

The next place to visit in our guide is the Newport Museum. It is part of the Newport art gallery, museum and library complex in John Frost Square (near where the clock was situated).
The museum has some great exhibitions that cover Newport’s local history along with some smaller collections of general subjects. It’s not exactly the biggest museum in the country but will keep you busy for an hour or two. We recommend that you also visit the art gallery while you are in the area.

While walking around Newport you may notice some unusual structures. These are public art pieces commissioned by the city to offset the industrial fell of the place. One of the more controversial pieces is the Peter Fink Steel Wave which is located on the river embankment.

There are many more things to see and do, but I will leave these for you to find yourself as that is half the fun of exploring a city.