Whether you’re a history buff, a lover of culture and the arts or you just want to enjoy an educational and fun day out in Belfast why not visit one of its many museums and galleries? Here’s a list of some of the top galleries and museums in the city…
Ulster Folk & Transport Museum
This museum is actually located in Holywood County Down but is just about a 10 minute drive from Belfast city centre so it’s well worth a visit. It features an outdoor folk museum and an indoor transport museum. The outdoor folk museum is open air and located on 170 acres of beautiful County Down countryside. This outdoor museum shows us what life was like in the North of Ireland around the early 20th century.
If you want to see one of the most impressive displays of transport and machinery in Europe, then visit the Transport Museum. Here you will see ancient forms of transport once used in Ireland like the horse and trap to motor cars which were built in Ireland.
The museum is about 11km east of Belfast on the main Belfast to Bangor Road (A2).
W5
W5 is a world-class award winning interactive discovery centre. W5 stands for Who, What, Where, When and Why. You’ll get a fun, educational and interactive answers to these questions from over 160 interactive exhibitions. The discovery centre also has some science demonstrations held throughout the day.
Visitors of all ages will enjoy a visit to W5 but give yourself no less than 2 hours here as there is just so much to see and do!
W5 is part of the Odyssey Complex, which is located in the Abercorn Basin, overlooking the River Lagan. There is plenty of onsite parking so if you’re driving from the city centre follow the A2 for Bangor. Once you get onto Queen Elizabeth’s Bridge stay on the left lane and then take a left onto Queen’s Island and you’ll come to W5 on your right hand side.
Ormeau Baths Gallery
The Ormeau Baths Gallery is one of the top contemporary art galleries on the island of Ireland. It has free entry and is open from Tuesday to Saturday so it’s well worth a visit if you’re an art lover.
The art gallery is located on the site of a Victorian Bath House, hence the name and has four gallery spaces over two floors.
The Ormeau Baths Gallery is located on Ormeau Road close to the city centre, just a 10 minute walk from Victoria Station and Central Station.
Linen Hall Library
Visit the oldest library in Belfast - the Linen Hall Library, which has a staggering 250,000 books! It has a prestigious location on Donegall Square in the heartbeat of Belfast, so you’ve no excuse to pass up a chance on visiting here.
It’s ornate façade can be seen just opposite City Hall. The library is, in fact, located in a linen hall and so the library took the name ‘Linen Hall Library’.
Founded back in 1788, this year the library is celebration its 220th birthday so there’s no better time to visit! There is no admission cost to the library.
These are just some of the top museums and galleries in Belfast city. Please feel free to add more to the list by using the comment box below…
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