Playing for Wales – Gareth Bale, Ryan Giggs and friends at the National Waterfront Museum

Exhibition: Playing for Wales – the Story of the Football Association of Wales, National Waterfront Museum, Swansea, until March 4 2012

With a national team on the rise and a Swansea side entertaining the Premier League, Wales has had plenty to feel proud of recently.

Gary Speed's squad enjoyed impressive wins over Bulgaria and Switzerland in their final games before his death left football a poorer sport last year, and a dramatic Play-Off final victory at Wembley saw the Swans join the elite, where they have established themselves as an easy-on-the-eye team through their attacking ethos and commitment to passing football.

This show, from the Powysland Museum in Welshpool, traces the history of the country's FA, including Cardiff City’s 1927 FA Cup win – the only time the trophy has left England – and the 1958 World Cup Final.

Stars such as Tottenham winger Gareth Bale, Manchester United's ageless Ryan Giggs and new Queens Park Rangers manager Mark Hughes also feature in a display largely comprised of shirts, caps, boots and memorabilia from the collection of the Association's Ceri Stennett.

"With the Swans becoming the first Welsh Premier Leage club this season, and the national squad starting to turn in the results we always hoped they would, this is turning into a great year for Welsh football," says Gallery Author Andrew Deathe, who has added a classic table football game which visitors can jostle at in the space.

"This exhibition is a timely reminder that we have a lot to celebrate in the history of the FAW."