Ulster Museum

About the museum

The Ulster Museum grew out of the Belfast Natural History Society, founded in 1821, whose collections were gradually joined by fine art. In 1929 the Belfast Municipal Museum and Art Gallery opened in a new building in the Botanic Gardens, designed by James Cumming Wynne. It took the name Ulster Museum in 1962 and became a national museum. A brutalist extension by Francis Pym opened in 1972.

In 1998 the museum became part of National Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland, together with the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum and the Ulster American Folk Park. A major refurbishment closed the building in 2006, and it reopened in October 2009, eighty years to the day after the original opening, with a central atrium that rises through the building.

The collections cover Irish archaeology, history, natural science, and fine and applied art. Well-known objects include Takabuti, an Egyptian mummy that was unwrapped in Belfast in 1835, treasure recovered from the Spanish Armada ship Girona, and prehistoric finds such as the Malone Hoard. Galleries on the Troubles and Beyond present contemporary history, and natural science galleries include the Deep Time display. Admission to the museum is free.

Highlights

• Takabuti, the Egyptian mummy
• Treasure from the Spanish Armada ship Girona
• The Troubles and Beyond, a gallery on contemporary history
• Early Peoples gallery with prehistoric stone and bronze finds
• Window on Our World, a three-storey atrium with objects from every collection
• Fine and applied art and the Deep Time natural science gallery

Permanent exhibitions

• Window on Our World – The central three-storey atrium displaying major objects from each of the museum's collections.
• The Troubles and Beyond – A gallery on Northern Ireland from the late 1960s to the present, covering politics, conflict and their effects on everyday life.
• Early Peoples – A gallery on prehistoric Ireland, with stone and bronze objects such as the Malone Hoard and the Bann Disc.

Founded

1929

Operated by

National Museums NI

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is free for everyone and most visits need no booking. Groups of 15 or more (not schools) must book in advance, and schools must also book. Members of National Museums NI receive a discount in the café and the shop; donations are welcome.

Accessibility

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

Most of the building is accessible, but some areas are not; the Deep Time gallery is not suitable for wheelchairs or buggies. Manual wheelchairs and two battery-powered wheelchairs can be borrowed from reception (a second person must operate them). Some galleries have stair lifts that only staff can operate, so ask a visitor guide for help. A gender-neutral accessible toilet is next to the café, and a Changing Places toilet on the ground floor (with hoist and wet room) can be opened with a key from Visitor Services. Five Blue Badge spaces are outside the museum. Service dogs are allowed on a lead. There are no set quiet sessions, but the early morning is usually calmer.

Kids & families

There is a baby-changing area off the main atrium, and school groups can book visits through the museum's learning team.

Getting there & parking

The museum is about 1.1 miles (a 20 to 25 minute walk) from the city centre. By car, leave the M1 from the south at exit 1 or the M2 from the north at exit 1b. Bike racks for up to five bicycles stand outside, and Belfast Bikes docking stations are near Queen's University.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Lockers

Wynne & Pym Café serves hot and cold food, and visitors can picnic in the Botanic Gardens. Lockers on the ground floor cost £1 for small items and £5 for large luggage (non-refundable). A museum gift shop is on site, and there is a baby-changing area off the main atrium.

Events & venue rental

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

National Museums NI offers its venues for weddings, corporate events, filming and photography; room details for the Ulster Museum are not listed on the central page.

Plan your visit