Belfast Barge

About the museum

The Belfast Barge is the MV Confiance, a cargo barge built in 1960 in the Netherlands. The charity Lagan Legacy bought the vessel and brought it from Amsterdam to Belfast in 2006. A restoration funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland turned it into a visitor attraction.

The barge is moored on the River Lagan at Lanyon Quay, beside the Waterfront Hall. The lower deck holds a history museum and a performance space, and the upper deck has a licensed riverside bar and café.

The permanent exhibition, The Greatest Story Never Told, uses interactive displays, artefacts from Harland and Wolff and the oral history of Lagan workers to present the industries of the river and the people who worked along it.

Highlights

• Museum on a restored 1960 cargo barge
• Exhibition on the industries of the River Lagan
• Artefacts from Harland and Wolff and oral histories
• Riverside bar and café on the upper deck
• Live music and events

Permanent exhibition

• The Greatest Story Never Told – Interactive exhibition on the industries of the River Lagan and the people who worked along it, with Harland and Wolff artefacts and oral histories.

Founded

2011

Operated by

Lagan Legacy

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Museum admission is free; visitors can leave a donation to the charity. Events on the barge are ticketed separately.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Amenities & dining

• Café

The upper deck has a fully licensed riverside bar and café.

Events & venue rental

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

Hire is offered for private parties, live music, corporate events and weddings.

Plan your visit