Top 10 Belfast Museums

What is it?
The largest museum in Northern Ireland featuring art, history, and natural history exhibits, with no entry fee.

Why should you go?
Founded in 1821, the Ulster Museum has an extensive collection of artifacts covering the various aspects of the past and present of Northern Ireland and the world.

There's something for everyone: from dinosaurs to mummies, from Bronze Age jewelry to treasures recovered from a 16th-century Spanish Armada shipwreck, and more contemporary objects related to the 20th-century conflict known as the Troubles. Art galleries feature fine and applied art from the 18th century to the present day, from Rembrandt and Irish Impressionists to Joseph Beuys and Francis Bacon.

Belfast Botanic Gardens are a beautiful, well-maintained park to relax by the flowerbeds and tropical plants after the visit to the museum.

Specialization
Natural history, art and history museum

Perfect for
A day out with the family

What is it?
A visitor attraction dedicated to the history of the Titanic on the site of the former Harland & Wolff shipyard where the ship was built.

Why should you go?
The Titanic Belfast occupies an impressive angular-shaped building that is covered with thousands of metal shards and as tall as the infamous ship. The design resonates with Belfast's history of shipbuilding and industrial legacy while also being one of the focal points of urban regeneration of the whole Titanic Quarter.

The museum's nine interactive galleries tell the story of the RMS Titanic from its inception, construction, and launch to the maiden voyage and the 1912 catastrophe, as well as its aftermath — presented via a range of documents, photos, replicas, and media exhibits. It received praise from James Cameron, who called it one of the most well-thought-out Titanic museums in the world.

Specialization
Interactive history museum

Perfect for
Shipwreck enthusiasts

What is it?
Arts venue that is home to various exhibitions, performances, and experimental works.

Why should you go?
The Metropolitan Arts Centre, located in front of St Anne's Cathedral in Belfast's emergent cultural Cathedral quarter, opened in 2012 in a building that has received a number of architectural awards.

A cultural hub rather than a traditional museum, the MAC has only one permanent exhibit: The Permanent Present by Irish artist Mark Garry, consisting of 400 colored metal wires in the foyer. Otherwise, the space hosts an ever-changing range of shows and events featuring visual art, theater, dance, workshops, walks, and talks. And even if you don't, drop by for a coffee — the local cafe is said to be pretty nice.

Specialization
Arts venue

Perfect for
Those who don't like anything permanent

What is it?
A war museum that focuses on Northern Ireland's place in WWII with thousands of artifacts and artworks.

Why should you go?
This museum is largely focused on WWII's impact on Northern Ireland and its contribution to the war effort. Particular sections of the museum present the story of the Belfast Blitz, and portray the wartime American service personnel presence in Northern Ireland and the Home Front, via an extensive collection of artifacts, from uniforms, weapons, and radios to photographs, flags, and artworks. There's also a selection of WWI items, including typical examples of trench art and medals. Check out the black marble Memorial Wall and the two volumes of the Roll of Honour with the names of over 10,000 who perished in WWI and over 4,700 in WWII.

Specialization
WWII museum

Perfect for
Military history buffs

What is it?
A museum exploring the history of the Irish linen industry housed in a 17th-century building.

Why should you go?
Originally a museum of local history, this exhibition expanded in 1994 to include the linen manufacturing heritage, which was so significant in Ulster's history and development. You'll get a chance to track the general process of linen production, from flax into yarn and then into the fabric. The particular focus is on Irish specifics: you'll try your hand at the spinning wheel, learn about the life and labor of local cottage weavers and the industrial production of fabric, and, of course, see and touch the finest samples of world-famous locally-manufactured linen.

From the museum, it's only a short walk to the beautiful Lisburn Castle Gardens, with a few ruins and a panoramic view of Lisburn and the Lagan Valley.

Specialization
Local history and industry museum

Perfect for
Industrial heritage explorers

What is it?
The only remaining Victorian era former prison in Northern Ireland, dubbed 'Europe's Alcatraz.'

Why should you go?
In operation from 1846 to 1996, the Crumlin Road Gaol is one of the most popular and impressive Belfast museums. As a working prison, it had 17 people executed (the last case took place in 1961) — you'll get to see the execution cell as part of your visit. Despite the reputation of an impenetrable prison, numerous escapes were undertaken (some were successful).

Men, women, and children used to be incarcerated here in the beginning. Many famous and notorious inmates were detained here, including Ulster suffragettes, IRA leader Bobby Sands, and former IRA member and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland Martin McGuinness. Perhaps not surprisingly, the prison is also purportedly haunted.

If you're interested in all things tragic and macabre, we also recommend our tour of Belfast's cemetery.

Specialization
Landmark and former penitentiary

Perfect for
People with a penchant for darker history

What is it?
A kid-oriented interactive science museum with exhibits, shows, and hands-on activities.

Why should you go?
Based in the Odyssey complex within the Titanic Quarter, the W5 is an award-winning science and discovery center, with the W's in its name standing for the five Wh-questions (who, what, where, what, and when).

With more than 250 exciting exhibits, eight interactive zones, and science shows, this establishment covers a wide range of STEM topics in the most accessible and fun way. Want to learn how to fly a plane or build your own race car? Or, perhaps, climb and play around if you're slightly younger? If you're a bit older, why not enjoy mesmerizing harbor views?

Specialization
Kid-friendly science museum

Perfect for
Kids and their curious adults

What is it?
An IRA museum founded to preserve artifacts from the Troubles, with a focus on women's experiences.

Why should you go?
First of all, we should warn you that as an institution established after campaigning by an IRA officer, this museum presents a somewhat one-sided perspective on the Troubles — yet Ireland's tumultuous history should be explored in all its complexity.

Established in 2007, this museum has a recreated prison cell of Eileen Hickey, the person who was behind the whole project, as well as a multitude of donated items that include prison handicrafts, weapons, clothes, artworks, and personal artifacts. Some of the exhibits on display date back as far as the 18th century, while the majority are much more recent. Women's experiences are at the forefront of the exhibition.

Specialization
Politics and history

Perfect for
History buffs

What is it?
A museum devoted to the history of the Protestant Orange Order from its inception to the present day.

Why should you go?
Like with any political museum, we suggest that you take this institution with a grain of salt and carefully reflect on the version of history that it presents.

The Orange Institution is a Protestant Order that was established in 1795 and is a conservative, British unionist, and Ulster loyalist organization, naturally against Irish republicanism. This museum claims to house the largest collection of Orange artifacts in the world and traces the origins and traditions of the order. Schomberg House, which is the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland's Headquarters, features, among other things, a memorial that commemorates more than 300 Orange members who were killed during the Troubles.

Specialization
Politics and history

Perfect for
Irish history enthusiasts

What is it?
A small military museum focusing on the history of the Royal Ulster Rifles, an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army.

Why should you go?
This little museum in Belfast seems unassuming from the outside, but inside is a little treasure trove for any fan of military paraphernalia. It concentrates on the history of the infantry rifle regiment that can be traced back as far as 1793 and fought in the Napoleonic Wars, the Second Boer War, WWI and WWII, and the Korean War. Its successor, the Royal Irish Regiment, served in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

The artifacts on display in the museum include uniforms, badges, medals, regimental memorabilia, trophies, paintings, and photographs. Check out our favorite, the regimental mascot Billy' Botha' — a dog decorated for his service during the Boer War.

Specialization
Military museum

Perfect for
War and military history fans