Contact Us
Accessibility

First Time Visitors

Your journey begins here

Welcome to Galway City Museum

If it’s your first time visiting, you’re in the right place. Here you’ll find everything you need to plan your trip, from what’s on right now to upcoming events and stories that bring Galway’s past to life. Discover our exhibitions, explore local history, and find practical information to help make your visit enjoyable and easy.

First Time Explorers
Floor Plan
Plan Your Visit
What’s on

Exhibitions

Explore All Exhibitions

Survivor Stories

Exhibition Collaboration between University of Galway and Galway City Museum develops the first installation of its kind in Ireland A ...

View the Exhibition

Faces of Galway, 1988-89 by Suzanne Ahearne

Outdoor Exhibition Una Taaffe and one of her dogs at the Galway Fair, 1989. In the summer of 1988, Suzanne ...

View the Exhibition
Discover

Events

Explore the stories and experiences at Galway City Museum

View all
Clock icon

–

LUNCHTIME TALK: Buoys Caught in a Storm

Did you know that buoys off the Irish coast collect vital real-time data used to help forecast the weather? Join Guy Westbrook from the Marine ...

Read More
Clock icon

–

CULTURE NIGHT: Tráidisiún Áitiúil – Amhráin agus Ceol

Celebrate Culture Night 2026 at Galway City Museum with a packed programme of free events, including live music, storytelling and a guided walking tour of ...

Read More
Clock icon

–

CULTURE NIGHT: Walking Tour of Some Galway Institutions

Celebrate Culture Night 2026 at Galway City Museum with a packed programme of free events, including live music, storytelling and a guided walking tour of ...

Read More
Clock icon

–

CULTURE NIGHT: Operatic Performance – A Journey Around the EU in Song

Celebrate Culture Night 2026 at Galway City Museum with a packed programme of free events, including live music, storytelling and a guided walking tour of ...

Read More
Clock icon

–

CULTURE NIGHT: At Home in the Hedges – Stories & Songs of the Land

Celebrate Culture Night 2026 at Galway City Museum with a packed programme of free events, including live music, storytelling and a guided walking tour of ...

Read More
Clock icon

–

INTERACTIVE DEMONSTRATION: Weaving Traditions

Join textile weaver Jean Moran for a live demonstration of traditional weaving and yarn spinning using a floor loom and spinning wheel. Visitors will have ...

Read More
Plan Your Visit

Everything you need to know before you arrive

Find opening hours, directions, and accessibility details to help you make the most of your time at Galway City Museum. Admission is always FREE — so come explore at your own pace, right beside the historic Spanish Arch.

Visitor Information

What our Visitors Say

My adult son (20) and I visited the museum and enjoyed it very much. It is very orientated to give you clear information through a good mixture of expiation material. The views from the museum out over the bay are a good reminder as you make your way around of the geography of the area. The staff are friendly and helpful. I was also impressed that they had a sensory room for children which is a nice touch and makes the museum inclusive.
DublinIrelandPeter TripAdvisor
The museum was way more comprehensive than I expected. It covered so many areas of local history with wonderful displays and multimedia presentations. It was not at all crowded, but very well situated. I would recommend the museum to anyone visiting Galway who has an interest in Irish history.
stevefS6058RN TripAdvisor
Really great way to learn about the history of Galway -- as with most places the staff were incredibly friendly and walking around and seeing how the city developed was great. A large part is set aside to cover the rising against the British and some of the atrocities committed by the British --- videos play with expert historians recounting what happened in an objective way -- it tears at your heart when you hear how a young mother was killed. Going to Galway, this is a must.
NC-GBTripAdvisor
We were visiting the Spanish Arch area and decided to visit the Museum nearby. The feature were the Aran Islands and I wish we had visited the Museum before we visited the Islands. It was very informative. If you plan a trip to the Islands, visit here first. It will make your trip that much better.
Butch OTripAdvisor
Wonderful museum that really connects you to the history of Galway and Ireland. A mix of historical artifacts and crafts a well as traditional art. The layout and displays are varied and creative, and there are videos, 3D maps, and an underwater submarine area that children and adults will find delightful. The delivery of information has purpose and imagination, and it makes learning about history absolutely fascinating.
Sarah BlumGoogle Review
This was a super interesting and diverse museum. It covers the history of the region (including the islands), Irish independence and there is also an expo on the sea. I spent at least an hour and a half here, the information displayed is so rich and detailed. There is a small viewing deck on the last floor which is wonderful. I learned a lot and would recommend it to everyone that visits Galway.
Natalia N - Local GuideGoogle Review
A museum that’s modern, informative and celebrates the culture and history of Galway and the rest of Ireland. It’s free to enter and is a good place to see. There’s quite a lot on display here ranging from samples dating from Ireland’s ancient past to materials dating to the last century. Absolutely brilliant!
Jordan Kevin MagtaanGoogle Review
A really lovely museum - it's small, but that doesn't detract from it at all. There's a lot of thought put into the displays and it gives both a good overview broad Irish/atlantic history and more specifically local history. Kudos to the curators for a fantastic experience.
Emily KGoogle Review

- NEWSLETTER

Get the latest Galway City Museum news directly to your inbox!

Scroll to Top
Galway City Museum
Contact Us
Accessibility

Easter Hours

 Galway City Museum will open Sundays, 12pm – 5pm commencing Easter Sunday 5 April 2026.