Museums and Exhibitions in Co. Galway
4 places
1.Irish Workhouse Centre
a preserved 1852 Famine-era workhouse
Portumna's Irish Workhouse Centre calls itself the most complete authentic workhouse in Ireland: seven buildings ranged around four yards, opened in 1852 as one of 163 Poor Law workhouses and in use until 1922. Today guided tours and exhibitions tell the story of the people forced through its doors.
- Highlights
- Ireland's most complete authentic workhouse
- 75-minute guided tours of 7 buildings around 4 yards
- Dark Shadows: 20-24 bog oak Famine sculptures
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Restrooms · Wheelchair access
2.Ionad Cultúrtha an Phiarsaigh, Conamara
Pearse's cottage and a Connemara Gaeltacht centre
A modern visitor centre in the Connemara Gaeltacht at Ros Muc that tells the story of Patrick Pearse and the landscape, language and culture that shaped him — with a bog walk out to his summer cottage.
- Highlights
- Interactive exhibition on south Connemara's landscape, language and culture
- Teach an Phiarsaigh, Patrick Pearse's summer cottage
- Scenic looped walk across the bog between centre and cottage
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Wheelchair access
3.Galway City Museum
Free entry, three floors beside Spanish Arch
A free, three-floor museum on Galway's waterfront, right beside the Spanish Arch, telling the city's story through medieval treasures, 1916 films, the Claddagh and the sea.
- Highlights
- Free admission, no booking
- Three floors of galleries beside the Spanish Arch
- Oldest known Claddagh Ring and the 1710 Great Mace
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Restrooms · Wheelchair access
4.Roundstone Music & Crafts / Malachy Kearns
Hand-painted bodhráns from a 50-year master maker
Roundstone Music & Crafts is the working studio and shop of Malachy Kearns — "Malachy Bodhrán" — who has hand-built goatskin bodhráns here for over 50 years, including every drum used in Riverdance.
- Highlights
- Working bodhrán workshop and shop you can walk into
- Meet maker Malachy Kearns in person
- Hand-painted Celtic designs and bespoke family crests
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Restrooms · Wheelchair access