Learning about Welsh History with a Virtual Escape Room and Interactive Digital Resources

20.05.2026

The National Library of Wales has launched an innovative method of learning about the history of Wales with a brand new virtual escape room and interactive digital resources to contribute to the Library's aim to support every school.

These new resources, which are available on the Library’s website, look at the history of the drowning of the Tryweryn Valley. Designed to align with the Curriculum for Wales, they offer a dynamic way to reinforce historical knowledge while developing language skills.

Owain Dafydd, Education and Skills Manager at the National Library of Wales said: 
"It feels very timely during the National Year of Reading to release these new resources that will support language development and literacy skills, as well as sharing the story of one of the most significant events of the 1960s in Wales. It demonstrates perfectly how the Library's collections can be used to learn in a creative way and contributes to the aims of the Library's Engagement Strategy - Your Library - to engage with all schools in Wales.”

The first resource, aimed at 7-11 year olds, offers a behind-the-scenes look at the Library and relevant collections in the form of a quiz. While the second, for 13-15 year olds, offers a virtual escape room experience, where pupils are asked to solve a series of clues.  

Funded by Adnodd, the virtual escape room was developed in collaboration with Jengyd, who specialize in creating Welsh language escape rooms and who have secondary school teachers on their team - a key combination for producing a resource that would be both educational and entertaining.

A number of relevant items from the Library's collections - from photographs and artworks to documents and newspaper reports – are included in the resources, as well as creative pieces by Caryl Lewis and Samantha Wynne-Rhydderch.

Samantha Wynne-Rhydderch said:  
“I’m delighted that my poem, which examines, in a strict syllable count, the experience of being made homeless, is being used as a literacy resource. I would never have dreamt this 20 years ago when I wrote 71,200 Megalitres about this unforgettable part of our history. I am very grateful to the National Library for their time and energy in making this happen.”

Positive feedback from learners and teachers is proof that schools across Wales will find the virtual escape room and the new interactive digital resources extremely useful.

Adam Lewis, Teacher at Ysgol Plascrug said: 
"From a teacher's point of view, the resources expand and enrich the children's learning, bringing the subjects to life. It offers valuable access to schools, bringing the Library's collections directly to all schools." 

** Mae'r datganiad yma hefyd ar gael yn y Gymraeg**

--ENDS--

The National Library of Wales Media Contact
Nia Wyn Dafydd, Promotion and Marketing Manager  
nia.dafydd@library.wales  / 01970 632871

NOTES FOR EDITORS

The National Library of Wales Education Service
The National Library of Wales Education Service was established in 2002. The main work is:

• To deliver a programme of educational activities and provisions that align with the requirements of Curriculum for Wales.
• To increase awareness among children and young people of the history, culture and heritage of Wales.
• To facilitate access to information for learners and educators and assist them in making the most of our collections by interpreting information in the national collection.
• To increase the Library's presence, and awareness of the institution and its work, in various parts of Wales.
• To assist the Library in delivering the strategic aims set out in Connecting Wales and the World, the 2025-2030 Strategic Plan.
• To produce high quality digital learning resources to be published on Hwb, the digital platform for learning and teaching in Wales

Since 2007 The National Library of Wales Education Service has been taking the Library’s collections to schools and communities throughout Wales as part of its outreach programme. These outreach projects are developed in partnership with local authorities, schools and other organisations and individually tailored to meet the needs of those users, as well as assisting them to deliver the required skills and experiences of Curriculum for Wales.

About the National Library of Wales
The National Library of Wales is a library for Wales and the world. Located in Aberystwyth, it is the home of the story of Wales.

Opened in 1907, the Library is the centre of research into the culture and heritage of Wales and the Celtic nations.

The purpose of the Library is to make our culture and heritage accessible for everyone to learn, research and enjoy.

We are a legal deposit library, which means we are entitled to a copy of every print publication in Britain and Ireland, but our collections also include the following:

• 8,000,000 books and periodicals (with around 4000 new items arriving each week through legal deposit and acquisition)
• 7,000,000 feet of film
• 250,000 hours of video
• 150,000 hours of sound
• 40,000 manuscripts
• 1,500,000 maps
• 1,000,000 photographs
• 70,000 works of art
• 1,900 cubic meters of archives
• Over 2.5PB of born digital archival holdings
• Over 6 million digitised objects

You will find further information together with a list of resources on the Library's website.