Housed in Newtown's Edwardian library and council chambers, this museum is the best place to bone up on the legacy of Robert Owen: the son of a saddler who became a successful cotton-mill owner and radical reformer. Owen's achievements included ensuring a 10- to 12-hour workday, a minimum working age of 10 and schools for his employees' children. Exhibits are rich in detail. The museum also serves as Newtown's tourist information point.
At the corner of Gas and Short Bridge Sts, a statue and garden herald Owen as a "pioneer, social reformer and philanthropist." His grave lies in St Mary's Old Parish Church on the south bank of the river.
