Tower Museum
A museum inside the walled city of Derry, run by the council, currently showing the Derry Girls Experience while the building is prepared for the new DNA Museum.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Tower Museum opened in October 1992 in the walled city of Derry~Londonderry, close to the Guildhall. It is run by Derry City and Strabane District Council and has won several awards since it opened.
For many years its main displays were the Story of Derry, which followed the history of the city, and an exhibition on La Trinidad Valencera, a ship of the Spanish Armada. The collections also include material on maritime history, glass-plate photographs, the Mabel Colhoun collection and a large archive.
In recent years the museum has been preparing for the new DNA (Derry on the North Atlantic) Museum, planned at Ebrington Square for late 2027. The Armada and Story of Derry exhibitions are closed while the collections are moved out. For now visitors can see the Derry Girls Experience, with props and a recreated family home from the television comedy, and a preview space for the DNA Museum.
Highlights
- The Derry Girls Experience with original show memorabilia and a recreated family home set
- DNA Preview Space for the future Derry on the North Atlantic museum
- Collections on the city's maritime history and local photography
- Level access and lift in the museum building
Permanent exhibitions
- The Derry Girls Experience – Props and costumes from the television series and a recreated Quinn household set.
- DNA Preview Space – A preview of objects from the collections that will go on show in the new DNA (Derry on the North Atlantic) Museum.
- Founded
- 1992
- Operated by
- Derry City and Strabane District Council
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £6 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | £4Concession tickets |
| Children & teens | £3 |
| Families | £162 adults and up to 4 children. |
Prices are taken from the museum's own visit page and are for admission to the museum as it is currently open.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Level access at the main entrance and to the learning area. An internal lift serves all five levels of the Armada exhibition, with a viewing area over the city, and a second lift serves the museum services area with the research and genealogy facilities. Accessible toilets are on the ground floor. Some areas have low light levels to protect the collection. The museum is autism friendly: staff have had autism awareness training, autism-friendly tours of the Tower Museum and the Guildhall are available, and social narrative videos with British Sign Language and Irish Sign Language can be viewed online. The quiet space is not available while the collections are being moved; visitors can ask for a quiet space at the Guildhall instead.
Kids & families
| Family ticket | £16 · 2 adults and up to 4 children. |
|---|
- Baby changing facilities
Baby changing facilities are listed by the regional tourism site.
Getting there & parking
The museum is on Union Hall Place inside the historic walls of Derry.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
No cafe, shop or wifi is mentioned on the museum's visit page.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Autism-friendly tours of the Tower Museum and the Guildhall can be arranged through the education team. The museum also runs a learning and engagement programme and offers a genealogy and archive service. |
