[1] The building was commissioned to replace a previous guildhall which had been located near Swansea Castle and dated back to the late 16th century.

[2] The new building, which was designed by John Collingwood in the neo-classical style and built by Thomas Bowen, was completed in 1829.

[4][5] The building was officially re-opened by the American former President Jimmy Carter and the last Leader of the Swansea City Council, Trevor Burtonshaw, as the Dylan Thomas Centre in 1995.

[8] In October 2014, the Centre launched the permanent "Love the Words" exhibition which explores Dylan's life and work through a variety of media and including letters, books, worksheets and photographs.

[10][11] The Dylan Thomas Centre is home to a year-round programme of literary events, including book launches, plays, poetry evenings, changing exhibitions and science talks.