Exploring the Museums of Belfast, Ireland
Ulster Folk and Transport Museum
The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum has a large representation of history from 100 years ago, with its replications and artifacts of small towns and rural areas in Northern Ireland. They opened up a drapery shop a few years ago to represent what a store its kind would have like been a century ago. There is also a silent cinema house, so visitors can check out what movie theaters were like decades in the past. Those interested in folk art can check out the patchwork quilt collection. It also has one of the best transport exhibitions in Europe.
Ulster Museum
The Ulster Museum is the largest museum in Northern Ireland. It is a very diverse national museum, full of things like fine art, applied art, archaeology, ethnography, zoology, botany and other subjects. It was just reopened to the public in 2009 after three years of renovations. Some special exhibits include displays of taxidermy polar bears, as well as collections of meteorites, and historic photographs hailing from all sorts of periods.
Ulster American Folk Park
The Ulster American Folk Park is centered on the theme of Irish emigration to the American frontier. They have representations of cottages and houses where Irish people would settle when they moved to the United States. There is also a section that displays the old craft and trade jobs that Irish people would hold, working as blacksmiths, cobblers and saddlers. There is also a reconstruction model of an emigration ship.
Fernhill House
The Fernhill House is also known as “The People’s Museum,” based in an old house that tells the story of the surrounding area. It is a wonderful place for history lovers. The house itself represents Irish mid-Victorian style of architecture, having been erected in 1864. Its collections have exhibits of people working in Belfast, domestic life in a small house, the Red Cross, sports and World War II. There is also a gallery full of historic pictures and posters.
Ormeau Baths Gallery
The Ormeau Baths Gallery is the contemporary arts gallery of Belfast. It is situated in the former Victorian swimming baths in the center of the city. There are always rotating exhibits of various photographs, video installations, prints, paintings and other such media.