Galway City Museum collect, preserve, and display the material heritage of Galway city. Ideally located beside the Spanish Arch, the museum focuses on sharing Galway’s archaeology, history and sea science through their collections, exhibitions, and events.
Galway City Museum has three floors of galleries currently housing seven long-term exhibitions and two temporary exhibitions. These exhibitions explore themes of archaeology, history and sea science with a particular focus on Galway.
Open Tuesday to Saturday, from 10am to 5pm and from 12pm to 5pm on Sunday, Galway City Museum presents you with the wonderful opportunity to explore the history and heritage of the City of the Tribes. To make it even better, no booking is required and admission is free! Galleries close at 4.45pm.
The MONUMENT exhibition has evolved into a new medieval Galway exhibition called Surrounded by Stone, Galway 1100 BC- AD 1750. This exhibition features the story of the iconic stone monuments that mark Galway as a place of rich artistic and architectural vision and tradition, from 1100 BC to 1750 AD. It explores the striking design and craft sensibility that saw a range of remarkable buildings - from the stone forts on the Aran islands, to the early church and monastic sites, to the carved stone buildings of the medieval city of Galway – appear across the rural and urban landscapes. The exhibition also presents important objects associated with these monuments from the prehistoric finds at Dún Aonghasa on the Aran Islands to the more ornate objects from Galway City, displaying the wealth of the merchant families.
The Galway Hooker exhibition tells the story of the iconic Galway Hooker boat, unique to the west coast of Ireland and regularly spotted on Galway Bay. It documents both the history and living tradition of these boats through objects, film, text and imagery. This exhibition illustrates the pivotal role these vessels played in the social and working lives of Galway coastal communities. The displays are a strong addition to the iconic Máirtín Oliver hooker, which has been one of the highlights of the museum since its installation in 2006.
SUPERHUMAN is a recent science exhibition located on the top floor. This exhibition is the only exhibit in the country exploring the world of medical technology in Ireland. It showcases the development of Galway and Ireland as a medtech hub and explains how we can all play a part in driving research forward.
The Wild Atlantic Sea Science exhibition is a tremendous culmination of displays and information for people of all ages. Come and dive beneath the waves of Ireland’s wild Atlantic to explore our ocean, from seashore to deep sea. In the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV ) Simulator, explore ocean depths like a marine scientist and discover cold-water corals, shipwrecks and a rare shark nursery!
These exhibitions mentioned are just highlights amidst numerous other interesting and engaging exhibitions.
The museum also displays collections from Galway's past. Books from famous Irish writer, Pádraic Ó Conaire, medieval Galway artefacts, and memorabilia from Ireland's struggle for independence are just some of the collections to be seen at Galway City Museum.
Galway City Museum, recipient of Tripadvisor's Certificate of Excellence, provides an informative and engaging visit for people of all ages and interests. For lovers of history, or for those who are curious about Galway's past, the Galway City Museum is well worth the trip.
