The screening was aired to a packed house at the Institute

The Oakdale Workmen's institute, which was taken down brick by brick to be rebuilt at the Museum of Welsh Life in 1995, used to house a cinema.

But no movie has been shown there for nearly 40 years - long before it was moved.

On Tuesday, museum staff recreated history by showing a 1930s silent film complete with pianist.

The institute originally opened in 1917 in Oakdale near Blackwood.

It contained a library, a reading room, a committee room and a concert hall.

Ten years later, an extension was made to the building to house a cinema.

The first film was shown in 1927, and it continued to hold regular screenings of films for the next five decades.

But, in the 1980s, the institute was closed for good and was dismantled and transported to the museum in St Fagans near Cardiff nine years later.

The buzz of the pictures was a major part of the social life of the Oakdale community Betsan Evans

On Tuesday, the institute was once more filled with cinema-goers as staff at the museum put on a 1930s-style showing.

Betsan Evans from the museum explained: "This is a fantastic opportunity to recreate the excitment and the buzz of the pictures, which was a major part of the social life of the Oakdale community."

The silent 1930s film that was showed was Hen Grefftau Cymru, which was produced by Sir Ifan Ab Owen Edwards who was the founder of Welsh youth movement, Urdd Gobaith Cymru.

"We had a pianist to accompany the film and the reaction has been amazing," said Ms Evans.

She said that the two matinees held on Tuesday were shown to packed houses.

"It was really good and such a brilliant way of bringing history back to life," she added.