North Down Museum in County Down

Are you visiting the County Down area and looking for something to add to your stack? Why not soak up some of the local histories at the North Down Museum? Visitors can listen to the stories of North Down’s past and present through the use of artefacts from various periods throughout history!

North Down Museum welcomes visitors from all over throughout the year, with free entry to all of its facilities! With each of the permanent galleries at the museum depicting a different era in Ards and North Down’s history, visitors can journey from the bronze age all the way up to present times!

Beginning with the Bronze Age, the museum takes you on a journey until the sixth century, when Bangor Monastery enjoyed its prominence of being one of the most important seats of learning, which in turn helped spread Christianity across Europe, aided by Saints including Gali and Columbus.

Next up, discover how the arrival of the Vikings had an impact on the local area by exploring the museum’s Viking Longhouse display and other Viking-related memorabilia and artefacts.

Travel forward through time into the plantation period and uncover how the arrival of Scottish settlers in Ards and North Down helped shape the locality. The Scots lived and worked on land acquired by James Hamilton and Hugh Montgomery from King James the 1st and the collection at the museum has loads of interesting insights into life during this time period.

There are plenty more displays and era-themed rooms for guests to explore when visiting the museum to help paint a clear picture of the area’s history and what shaped it to where it is today!

• The museum is open from 10 am to 4 pm Tuesday to Saturday
• The museum is closed on Sunday
• Free entry for all visitors
• Wheelchair access is available throughout the museum
• Free accessible parking is located 150 yards from the museum’s entrance