The story of the two unmarried sisters who were raised in rural mid Wales and who came from a family with no tradition of art collecting but who amassed an extraordinary collection of art including famous Impressionist paintings, is well known in Wales. Their two bequests in 1951 and 1963 of over 250 works transformed the art department' s collections.

Much has been written about the Davies sisters and their interest in art but this exhibition will seek to place Gwendoline and Margaret into a wider context, looking at other aspects of their lives and interests, including a discussion of how they acquired the wealth to enable them to amass such a collection.

Their early education and travels with their governess, how much time they spent in their London flat and their later love of travel will be explored. The exhibition will also look at their lives during the First World War when they worked at Red Cross canteens in France and their involvement in bringing refugee artists from Belgium to work in Wales.

The purchase of the Gregynog estate near Newtown, was to have an enormous impact on the sisters and their establishment there of a home for the display of their works and somewhere they could entertain friends and hold conferences was key to their achievements. They were also keen gardeners and the grounds were beautifully tended with a whole series of new features and planning schemes being introduced under the stewardship of George Austin Head Gardener from 1930.

The sisters had a lifelong interest in music and the musical festivals became renowned as well as the Gregynog Choir. Initially the sisters had hoped that they would set up a craft guild or community at Gregynog and they were very successful in setting up the Gregynog Press with Robert Ashwin Maynard as the first Controller.

It became however best known as a conference centre for Wales and as home to the famous Gregynog musical festivals. The sisters were of course also strict Cavlinistic Methodists with great social consciences which led to their involvement in the eradication of Tuberculosis campaign, their sponsorship of the Boverton children's camps and the holding of numerous conferences at Gregynog from 1921 - 1938 ranging from the Welsh School of Social Service to the League of Nations Union Advisory Educational Committee and the Distressed Areas conferences.

There were a great many visitors to the house and a large number of staff needed to run the estate as well. Photographs of life at Gregynog survive in many forms with examples of the tennis parties held there as well as formal pictures of the Gregynog Choir and guests enjoying the grounds.

The National Museum is seeking to locate those who remember life at Gregynog while the Davies sisters lived there and to record their oral testimony for posterity. It is always said for instance that in order to go into service at Gregynog it was necessary to have a good singing voice and that all household duties would cease for choir practise."

Information provided by Dr Ann Sumner, Head of Fine Art, National Museum, Cardiff.