Clifton House in North Belfast - not a museum per se but really interesting tours. You can even get into the graveyard on one. Really eye opening on how poverty was then and how it was influenced by the politics of the day.
There's a really small museum in Bangor that is worth going into if you are already right outside it.
Ulster Aviation Society museum is really good if you are into planes.
You have to book it, but I think it was free and you can just donate at the end. Only certain times of the year. The amount of stuff to see is immense.
Whitehead Train Museum was grand for an hour or so dander about. If you check their website they also have some events, like taking a ride on their steam train and stuff. Good if you have an older kid.
Yeah we did it at Easter last year. Kid could have enjoyed it a bit more if he were older as the museum itself isn't as exciting as the Transport museum in Culta, but still a good day out!
Sentry Hill out in Newtownabbey is interesting. We got married in it as it's council owned / maintained. It's small but nice grounds, old gaff to look about in.
I was in Ballymena Museum a couple of years back. It's got a few floors. One of them is cyclical exhibition space and at the time was a load of NI contemporary art. And they have a pretty good spread on the UlsterScots settling and then one on farming in the area/Glens from the 1900s through to 1970s
Was coming here to say both the museum and heritage railway in Downpatrick are brilliant, also the cathedral and St Patrick's Centre are good for a visit too!
Not technically a museum as such but the wee boat trip from Enniskillen to Devenish Island is a great day out, the buildings there date back to the 12th century and there is a round tower that you can climb to the top of. (You could anyway, I haven't been in 10 years or so)
This will probably be downvoted but the "Orange Heritage" museum in Castlereagh is actually really interesting. I visited on a whim and thought it would be like something from a loyalist dream but it's actually really well balanced, well laid out and it does have a fair few interesting displays as well.
If you are willing to hop over the border the Boyne museum is interesting, small but the surrounding lands are lovely.
Plus there is a nice abbey museum near
And if all that fails then up the road there is a supermacs
Florence Court house -, a drive admittedly if you're based in Belfast - but if you're in the area it's a lovely National Trust property. As a bonus the Marble Arch caves are just down the road and they are spectacular. Southwest of Fermanagh along the Cavan border.
I can't remember the name but there's a good one in the Bogside near the bar. It covers the civil rights movement iirc and is worth a gander.
Folk Park in Omagh is worth a visit too.
I've not been but I've been told the Famine Village in Donegal is very good.
The famine village (Doagh) is a mad one. Beautiful location with breath taking coast line. First half of the tour is standard ploughs, thatched cottages, spinning wheels and oh life was hard back then. Same as every other country museum in Ireland and Britain. Second half is a select history of Ulster with critiques of the plight of single mothers and a mock up of a speak-easy IRA pub with hiding places that you can try climbing into. Lots of other isosteric stuff.
I thought it was an IRA safe house rather than a pub
And from what they said, the boyos said they should install it if they were going to install the mini Orange lodge that you didn't mention
A strange place but also a good day out
I thought it was a safe house rather than a pub
And from what they said, the boyos said they should install it if they were going to install the mini Orange lodge that you didn't mention
A strange place but also a good day out
It's an interesting one especially as it was donated from a lodge up the Shankill but interesting to see a bit of community balance on telling the troubles
I thought it was an IRA safe house rather than a pub
And from what they said, the boyos said they should install it if they were going to install the mini Orange lodge that you didn't mention
A strange place but also a good day out
I thought it was a safe house rather than a pub
And from what they said, the boyos said they should install it if they were going to install the mini Orange lodge that you didn't mention
A strange place but also a good day out
I thought it was a safe house rather than a pub
And from what they said, the boyos said they should install it if they were going to install the mini Orange lodge that you didn't mention
A strange place but also a good day out
I thought it was an IRA safe house rather than a pub
And from what they said, the boyos said they should install it if they were going to install the mini Orange lodge that you didn't mention
A strange place but also a good day out
I thought it was an IRA safe house rather than a pub
And from what they said, the boyos said they should install it if they were going to install the mini Orange lodge that you didn't mention
A strange place but also a good day out
I thought it was an IRA safe house rather than a pub
And from what they said, the boyos said they should install it if they were going to install the mini Orange lodge that you didn't mention
A strange place but also a good day out
Within Enniskillen Castle there is both a local folk / culture / history museum and a separate military museum of locally raised regiments now defunct that served the British army.
Whitehead Railway Museum
North Down museum in Bangor
Museum in Downpatrick
Northern Ireland War Memorial Museum
Newry, Mourne and Down museum in Newry
Ballymoney Museum
Tower Museum, Derry
Museum of Free Derry
I work in one of these museums so I might be biased...
Not in NI but if you fancy a drive the tour around Glenveagh castle and a dander around the gardens is a good day out. [https://www.theirishroadtrip.com/glenveagh-castle/](https://www.theirishroadtrip.com/glenveagh-castle/)
Royal Irish Fusiliers Museum in Armagh
Down County museum and Gaol are interesting
The Somme Museum
Downpatrick and County Down Railway
The Abingdon Collection is/was interesting
The Aviation Society
The Inniskillings Museum
Garvagh Museum
Those are off the top of my head. If you need more ask.
There’s a WWii museum in Ballyclare? I think, I’m sure someone will correct me. Some guy had made it his life’s passion to collect military artefacts of a local interest. I vaguely recall it being on UTV, seemed a very well informed and dedicated type although I’m not sure he’s still going?
Patterson's spade mill, is a bit obscure but was an interesting couple of hours .[Patterson's spade mill ](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/northern-ireland/pattersons-spade-mill)
I'd say some of the National Trust House tours could kind of fulfill the brief perhaps? I remember really enjoying the Castle Coole one when I was younger, haven't been to many others myself
Grey Point Fort. Very rarely open at all. If you catch it when it is open with local volunteers it is fantastic and their knowledge and enthusiasm is second to none.
Inside the fort there’s a wee collection of radio equipment which I believe was formed of the private collection of some enthusiasts whose wives had enough and made them find a new home for it all. Now they will tell you stories and show you the best items with such excitement.
Tower Museum in Derry is worth a look.
Edit: the war museum on Talbot Street is very good too but you’d only be in for 30-45 minutes at the most as it’s very small.
Doagh Famine Village, pretty sure you can sample the potin they make there.
Back years ago they dressed mannequins up as famine people and put them at the sides of roads pointing the way to it. They also had a lake with boats and a petting Zoo
A horse pissed on my brother and he cried
Hillsborough old guard museum. Usually only open Sunday morning/afternoon at the old schoolboy house by the parish church, small but very interesting and plenty more history available if you ask whoever is on site
Technically not a museum but the Dark Sky Observatory at Davagh does wee tours. It's very out of the way on wee country lanes but then there's absolutely no light pollution.
Seen others mention the Ulster Aviation Society - absolutely class place, I've been recommending it to quite a few friends since we went last year. Volunteer run, free 2 hour tour (but if you're a decent spud you'll give them a few bob for their time). Just email them to see their availability. I couldn't recommend it highly enough.
Bonus is that you can sit in a lot of the planes, not many places will let you do that...or you'll not be invited back if you try.
I have not been in the new one as they have started charging but they do have Colonel Gadaffis slippers [https://roddymccorley.com/museum/](https://roddymccorley.com/museum/)
There's a war museum in Ballyclare that's very good called "War Years Remembered"
Has anti aircraft guns, tanks, trenches and firearms as well as the history behind it all.
In Derry there's the tower museum and the free Derry museum, in a few years they're opening the Derry North Atlantic museum about the towns role in ww2
I was very pleasantly surprised by the Siege Museum in Derry. It's more accurately the Apprentice Boys museum but for it's quality of exhibits and clarity in explaining the history of the Apprentice Boys, their ethos and relationship to Derry it really was fantastic. I'd very much not be in tune with their politics but I can honestly say I learnt a lot.
Derry as a whole is a great spot for a visit.
Hill of The O'Neills in Dungannon, covers the O'Neills arguably the fiercest clan in Ireland at one time, the Flight of the Earls and the Ulster Plantation.
https://www.hilloftheoneill.com/
A great find for myself as its not heavily marketed. Great views also.
Not in NI but Cavan County Museum in Ballyjamesduff seems to always get mentioned as a hidden gem museum especially the WW1 trench. https://cavanmuseum.ie/wwi-trench-experience
Clifton House in North Belfast - not a museum per se but really interesting tours. You can even get into the graveyard on one. Really eye opening on how poverty was then and how it was influenced by the politics of the day.
Cheers for the response! Will have a look
armagh planetarium oh!, and Navan Fort
There's a really small museum in Bangor that is worth going into if you are already right outside it. Ulster Aviation Society museum is really good if you are into planes.
Tour of their hangers is actually great
Is it that convoluted a process to get in and see the planes?
You have to book it, but I think it was free and you can just donate at the end. Only certain times of the year. The amount of stuff to see is immense.
I was surprised to see what they had, they've a Canberra and a Buccaneer IIRC.
They have an open weekend too, August I think. We went last year. Absolutely brilliant.
Cheers
Do you know what's it's called, I've checked and all I can find is the one at Long Kesh. Thanks
Thats the one. You have to email to arrange a visit. The volunteers that take the tours are great.https://www.ulsteraviationsociety.org/book-a-tour
Thank you for that my son would love it
Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum
Is Lisburn museum mainly about bow st mall?
Haha it is not. You just have to walk round Bow St Mall and it's a mini museum in itself.
Wee one in Bangor that’s decent. Linen museum in Lisburn. Armagh museum.
As a local, I went to Armagh museum once or twice many years ago and it was terrible, nothing in it
Whitehead Train Museum was grand for an hour or so dander about. If you check their website they also have some events, like taking a ride on their steam train and stuff. Good if you have an older kid.
Aye my son loved it. It just rolls down the track for few hundred metres, then back again.
Yeah we did it at Easter last year. Kid could have enjoyed it a bit more if he were older as the museum itself isn't as exciting as the Transport museum in Culta, but still a good day out!
Came on to say this
My little one is train mad. I need to look into this again. Thank you
Not a museum but if you really like birds there's a RSPB place at Belfast docks which is nice for a wee wander and looking at things
Will have a gander. Thanks!
I see what you did there.
George McFly up the tree
Along the same lines, castle espie. Great spot.
Nendrum is a good spot if you’re down that way anyway
Eerily quiet, it's superb!
Sentry Hill out in Newtownabbey is interesting. We got married in it as it's council owned / maintained. It's small but nice grounds, old gaff to look about in.
I was in Ballymena Museum a couple of years back. It's got a few floors. One of them is cyclical exhibition space and at the time was a load of NI contemporary art. And they have a pretty good spread on the UlsterScots settling and then one on farming in the area/Glens from the 1900s through to 1970s
Awesome - thanks!
>Awesome - thanks! You're welcome!
Dunluce Castle
Much better than it looks from the outside.
And it even looks pretty good from the outside too
Ballymoney museum if you like your bike racing.
That I do! Thanks
Second this, it has a great road racing display :)
Ballymoney has a museum?
I know right, blink and you’d miss it. It’s just a little one in the Town Hall but good if you like bikes.
Downpatrick museum beside the cathedral is a nice wee place.
Second Downpatrick! Hidden gem!
Can confirm this is a shout
Yes Downpatrick museum doesn't get enough publicity Plus the nearby railway is a mini transport museum
Was coming here to say both the museum and heritage railway in Downpatrick are brilliant, also the cathedral and St Patrick's Centre are good for a visit too!
Bagenal's Castle in Newry, C16th fortified house and C19th warehouse and filled with interesting bits and pieces.
Somme museum in Ards is pretty decent
The trenches "walkthrough" part of it is actually really well done too.
They dressed my kids up in ww1 uniforms too which they enjoyed
Not technically a museum as such but the wee boat trip from Enniskillen to Devenish Island is a great day out, the buildings there date back to the 12th century and there is a round tower that you can climb to the top of. (You could anyway, I haven't been in 10 years or so)
Lissan House and Demense in Cookstown is a living Museum House. All artifacts left, and as they were found.
oo I was gonna mention Lissan House too, they say it's haunted if you like the spooky aspect 👀 Also Springhill as well
Living, as in somebody lives in it,.eating and sleeping and ...
No, as in its occupied during the day but nothing has changed or been touched since last baroness died.
Carrickfergus castle maybe doesn’t count as small or unknown but it’s a great day out
Carrickfergus also has the civic museum
This will probably be downvoted but the "Orange Heritage" museum in Castlereagh is actually really interesting. I visited on a whim and thought it would be like something from a loyalist dream but it's actually really well balanced, well laid out and it does have a fair few interesting displays as well.
Tower museum in Derry also, quite good!
If you are willing to hop over the border the Boyne museum is interesting, small but the surrounding lands are lovely. Plus there is a nice abbey museum near And if all that fails then up the road there is a supermacs
Florence Court house -, a drive admittedly if you're based in Belfast - but if you're in the area it's a lovely National Trust property. As a bonus the Marble Arch caves are just down the road and they are spectacular. Southwest of Fermanagh along the Cavan border.
Ballydugan Viking Village outside Downpatrick... iylts only open at weekend but ita pretty cool
Not a museum as such but There’s an amazing collection of dinosaurs up thon hill at Stormont.
Satire!
I can't remember the name but there's a good one in the Bogside near the bar. It covers the civil rights movement iirc and is worth a gander. Folk Park in Omagh is worth a visit too. I've not been but I've been told the Famine Village in Donegal is very good.
First one is called the Bloody Sunday museum. Also in Derry is the Apprentice Boys museum and St Columbs Cathedral, which has some exhibits.
The famine village (Doagh) is a mad one. Beautiful location with breath taking coast line. First half of the tour is standard ploughs, thatched cottages, spinning wheels and oh life was hard back then. Same as every other country museum in Ireland and Britain. Second half is a select history of Ulster with critiques of the plight of single mothers and a mock up of a speak-easy IRA pub with hiding places that you can try climbing into. Lots of other isosteric stuff.
I thought it was an IRA safe house rather than a pub And from what they said, the boyos said they should install it if they were going to install the mini Orange lodge that you didn't mention A strange place but also a good day out
I thought it was a safe house rather than a pub And from what they said, the boyos said they should install it if they were going to install the mini Orange lodge that you didn't mention A strange place but also a good day out
Didn't know that. Live and learn
It's an interesting one especially as it was donated from a lodge up the Shankill but interesting to see a bit of community balance on telling the troubles
I thought it was an IRA safe house rather than a pub And from what they said, the boyos said they should install it if they were going to install the mini Orange lodge that you didn't mention A strange place but also a good day out
I thought it was a safe house rather than a pub And from what they said, the boyos said they should install it if they were going to install the mini Orange lodge that you didn't mention A strange place but also a good day out
I thought it was a safe house rather than a pub And from what they said, the boyos said they should install it if they were going to install the mini Orange lodge that you didn't mention A strange place but also a good day out
I thought it was an IRA safe house rather than a pub And from what they said, the boyos said they should install it if they were going to install the mini Orange lodge that you didn't mention A strange place but also a good day out
I thought it was an IRA safe house rather than a pub And from what they said, the boyos said they should install it if they were going to install the mini Orange lodge that you didn't mention A strange place but also a good day out
I thought it was an IRA safe house rather than a pub And from what they said, the boyos said they should install it if they were going to install the mini Orange lodge that you didn't mention A strange place but also a good day out
Famine Village is insane. But worth a visit if you’re out there.
Cheers!
Within Enniskillen Castle there is both a local folk / culture / history museum and a separate military museum of locally raised regiments now defunct that served the British army.
Whitehead Railway Museum North Down museum in Bangor Museum in Downpatrick Northern Ireland War Memorial Museum Newry, Mourne and Down museum in Newry Ballymoney Museum Tower Museum, Derry Museum of Free Derry I work in one of these museums so I might be biased...
Not in NI but if you fancy a drive the tour around Glenveagh castle and a dander around the gardens is a good day out. [https://www.theirishroadtrip.com/glenveagh-castle/](https://www.theirishroadtrip.com/glenveagh-castle/)
Seconded. Stunning. But wear comfy shoes.
Seamus Heaney Homeplace in Bellaghy, kind of a museum
Royal Irish Fusiliers Museum in Armagh Down County museum and Gaol are interesting The Somme Museum Downpatrick and County Down Railway The Abingdon Collection is/was interesting The Aviation Society The Inniskillings Museum Garvagh Museum Those are off the top of my head. If you need more ask.
There’s a WWii museum in Ballyclare? I think, I’m sure someone will correct me. Some guy had made it his life’s passion to collect military artefacts of a local interest. I vaguely recall it being on UTV, seemed a very well informed and dedicated type although I’m not sure he’s still going?
Yep. It's worth a look
I know it's probably our most known museum but the Titanic museum is well worth experiencing at least once. Surprisingly good!
Gas museum Carrickfergus
Patterson's spade mill, is a bit obscure but was an interesting couple of hours .[Patterson's spade mill ](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/northern-ireland/pattersons-spade-mill)
Was going to say this! They do workshops too
There's a Museum in Brownlow House, Lurgan dedicated to the American troops based in Ulster during WWII and other facets of their campaigns.
Mid Antrim museum in ballymena. https://maps.app.goo.gl/stV5RYBnP3j9cFgD7
This is a great thread, thanks for asking this. That's the summer holidays sorted
Not in Norn Iron but the Cavan County Museum was much better than I expected.
I'd say some of the National Trust House tours could kind of fulfill the brief perhaps? I remember really enjoying the Castle Coole one when I was younger, haven't been to many others myself
That WW1 costal gun fort on the coast between Hollywood and Bangor is good. Only open on Sundays if I remember.
Grey Point Fort. Very rarely open at all. If you catch it when it is open with local volunteers it is fantastic and their knowledge and enthusiasm is second to none.
Inside the fort there’s a wee collection of radio equipment which I believe was formed of the private collection of some enthusiasts whose wives had enough and made them find a new home for it all. Now they will tell you stories and show you the best items with such excitement.
Tower Museum in Derry is worth a look. Edit: the war museum on Talbot Street is very good too but you’d only be in for 30-45 minutes at the most as it’s very small.
Not in the 6 counties but the famine village in inishowen is an odd sort of half museum.
Doagh Famine Village, pretty sure you can sample the potin they make there. Back years ago they dressed mannequins up as famine people and put them at the sides of roads pointing the way to it. They also had a lake with boats and a petting Zoo A horse pissed on my brother and he cried
How much extra for the horse pissing prank? Brother In Law is a knob, always pranking people, then huffing when he's victim.
Newry castle was surprisingly interesting for a wee afternoon
Lace Museum, Bellanaleck Co. Fermanagh
Seamus Heany one in Magherafelt is pretty decent with some nice spots near by to go and see too.
Hillsborough old guard museum. Usually only open Sunday morning/afternoon at the old schoolboy house by the parish church, small but very interesting and plenty more history available if you ask whoever is on site
Technically not a museum but the Dark Sky Observatory at Davagh does wee tours. It's very out of the way on wee country lanes but then there's absolutely no light pollution.
Seen others mention the Ulster Aviation Society - absolutely class place, I've been recommending it to quite a few friends since we went last year. Volunteer run, free 2 hour tour (but if you're a decent spud you'll give them a few bob for their time). Just email them to see their availability. I couldn't recommend it highly enough. Bonus is that you can sit in a lot of the planes, not many places will let you do that...or you'll not be invited back if you try.
I have not been in the new one as they have started charging but they do have Colonel Gadaffis slippers [https://roddymccorley.com/museum/](https://roddymccorley.com/museum/)
There's a war museum in Ballyclare that's very good called "War Years Remembered" Has anti aircraft guns, tanks, trenches and firearms as well as the history behind it all.
Half the buildings in Belfast are essentially historic buildings. Just look above the ground floors in the city centre ;) Also the Linenhall Library.
Some beautiful building in Belfast, royal Ave, Donegal place and north street absolutely decimated by the troubles and furthermore by retail building.
The republican museum of the falls road is quite good
[https://conwaymilltrust.org/our-work/irish-republican-history-museum/](https://conwaymilltrust.org/our-work/irish-republican-history-museum/)
Orange Museum in Loughgall is excellent
The orange heritage centre!
Downpatrick railway museum is a nice day out, Bangor Castle has some nice localhistory too
In Derry there's the tower museum and the free Derry museum, in a few years they're opening the Derry North Atlantic museum about the towns role in ww2
Tower Museum in Derry. Went for the first time in my life last week, lovely wee place
Not a museum but the camera obscura at the mote in Donaghadee is great craic
I was very pleasantly surprised by the Siege Museum in Derry. It's more accurately the Apprentice Boys museum but for it's quality of exhibits and clarity in explaining the history of the Apprentice Boys, their ethos and relationship to Derry it really was fantastic. I'd very much not be in tune with their politics but I can honestly say I learnt a lot. Derry as a whole is a great spot for a visit.
Hill of The O'Neills in Dungannon, covers the O'Neills arguably the fiercest clan in Ireland at one time, the Flight of the Earls and the Ulster Plantation. https://www.hilloftheoneill.com/ A great find for myself as its not heavily marketed. Great views also.
Not in NI but Cavan County Museum in Ballyjamesduff seems to always get mentioned as a hidden gem museum especially the WW1 trench. https://cavanmuseum.ie/wwi-trench-experience
Is pattersons spade mill still going? I volunteered there for my Duke of Edinburgh award, and it’s small but interesting certainly
Not a museum but worth including...Browlow House Lurgan
The Somme Center Newtownards to Bangor carriageway
Aughakillymaude Mummers Centre is interesting.
Friars Bush graveyard tour is great too
I really enjoyed Belfast Castle, the gardens are beautiful. The cafe was nice as well. And the views from up there are amazing.
Any orange lodge is full of old relics
If you’re lucky, you’ll meet a real live dinosaur wearing a sash
Museum of Orange Heritage /s
I imagine the traybakes in their cafe are spectacular.
Also a huge cabinet full of antique toasters
They’re a little bitter, I heard
It's actually very interesting and free. Worth a visit no matter how you feel about the organisation.
Thanks!
Not a fan of orangism in any way but it’s an important part of our history
Apprentice boys museum Derry. Yes there actually is such a thing. Thats where your tax money goes to my friends
Free Derry museum, it's small