Housed in the original 1930s Foynes flying-boat terminal on the Shannon Estuary, this museum tells how a quiet Limerick village became the hub of transatlantic air travel — and where Irish coffee was invented in 1943. Its centrepiece is the only full-scale Boeing 314 Clipper replica in the world.
The original terminal holds exhibits on early transatlantic attempts and pioneers like Alcock, Brown and Lindbergh, the Pan Am and BOAC airlines, the wartime radio and weather room, and the famous passengers who passed through Foynes.
The museum built the only full-scale Boeing 314 flying-boat replica in existence, assembled on site by film set designer Bill Fallover over about ten months. You can walk through the aircraft whose ocean-liner luxury defined 1930s air travel.
Realistic flight simulators let you try piloting a flying boat yourself — a favourite with children and adults alike.
A second wing covers the River Shannon from Limerick to Loop Head: a lighthouse mural, a walk-in paddle steamer cabin, boat and currach displays, US Civil War uniforms shipped in breach of the Union blockade, and a large model of the estuary.
The Hollywood star's grandson donated an extensive collection of her belongings, including the honorary Academy Award presented to her by Liam Neeson and Clint Eastwood in 2014. The exhibition was upgraded and relaunched in September 2023.
Discover how chef Joe Sheridan invented Irish coffee here in 1943 — and make your own in a masterclass in the very building where it began. Masterclasses need a minimum of two people booked online, or ten for a group booking.
The control tower, operational during the flying-boat years of 1939–45 and restored in 2011, gives panoramic views over Foynes village and the Shannon Estuary.
The museum's 1940s-style restaurant is named for Dr Brendan O'Regan, who ran the terminal's famous restaurant. It serves breakfast until noon, light lunches, home-baked desserts and the original Irish coffee, daily from 9.30am to 5pm.
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