The Glucksman

About the museum

The Glucksman is the art museum of University College Cork. It stands in the university’s lower grounds beside the River Lee and was opened on 14 October 2004 by President Mary McAleese. It is named after one of its founding donors, the American financier and philanthropist Lewis Glucksman. The building was designed by the Irish architects O’Donnell + Tuomey and has won many awards for its architecture, with a form that appears to float above the grounds.

The museum presents ambitious exhibitions of Irish and international contemporary art alongside events, workshops and learning projects for visitors of all ages. It also cares for the UCC Art Collection and shows selections from it. In 2017 it became the first museum in Munster to receive full accreditation under the Museum Standards Programme for Ireland.

The building has five floors that are open to the public, with three gallery spaces, a restaurant, a shop and an event room. Admission is free, with a suggested donation of €5. Private events and civil marriages can be held in the building, which has a river-level room with a terrace and views of Cork from the upper floors.

Highlights

• Prize-winning museum building by O’Donnell + Tuomey
• Changing exhibitions of Irish and international contemporary art
• Selections from the UCC Art Collection
• Free admission and free family art workshops on Sundays
• Restaurant in the leafy lower grounds of the campus

Founded

2004

Operated by

University College Cork

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is free, with a suggested donation of €5. Some guided public tours are ticketed (€5 plus booking fee) and must be booked; family art workshops on Sundays are free.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description

The entrance has a power-assisted door and all galleries, the restaurant and the event room are reachable by lift with braille buttons. An accessible toilet is on Level 2 and a Changing Places facility is reached through the café on Level 0. Service and assistance dogs are welcome. Audio-described tours are offered during the year, and NaviLens codes help blind and low-vision visitors find their way. Sensory kits with ear defenders and other items can be borrowed at the information desk, portable stools are available, and a social story helps autistic visitors plan a visit.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Stroller-friendly

Family Sundays are free art workshops led by creative facilitators for children and their guardians, at 15:00 on Sundays during the season. The galleries are accessible by lift for buggies.

Getting there & parking

The gallery is a 10-minute walk from the city centre. Pedestrians enter through the ceremonial gates at the corner of Western Road and O’Donovan’s Road; the gallery is on the right of the main avenue.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museum shop

Léa’s at the Glucksman is a restaurant for breakfast, brunch and lunch in the lower grounds, open seven days a week; table booking is advised. The museum also has a gallery shop.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Galleries, the River Room with its terrace and the upper floors can be hired for events from small gatherings to corporate receptions, and the building is an approved venue for civil marriages.

Plan your visit