Galway City Museum
Fáilte chuig Músaem Cathrach na Gaillimhe
The Claddagh
Looking West from Galway Bay
Galway Hooker
Pádraic Ó Conaire Statue

Visit the Making History Galway Blog for more behind the scenes of our major redevelopment


Welcome to Galway City Museum

GALWAY CITY MUSEUM is a spacious, modern building, situated in the heart of Galway on the banks of the River Corrib, overlooking the famous Spanish Arch. The Museum houses a variety of permanent and touring exhibitions dealing with archaeology, local history, art, and craft.

MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS:
Routes to the Past (Prehistoric Galway); Galway Within the Walls (Medieval Galway); Pádraic Ó Conaire: Man & Statue; Dance Hall Days; Cinema in Galway; the Arts in Galway; and Galway & the Wars of Empire.

TOURING EXHIBITIONS:
Modified Expression (Crafts Council of Ireland)
An exciting mix of emerging and established artists whose work is inspired by the written word. The exhibition was created in response to the work of the authors participating in literature strand of the the Kilkenny Arts Festival. Featuring calligraphic text, deconstructed books, intricately hand-cut paper, and recycled and re-sculptured works, Modified Expression is a fascinating collection of artworks that demonstrates each artist’s personal interpretation of the texts, transforming literary works into visual ones and creating powerful new forms of expression.

Celtic Twilight: Art in Ireland, 1900-1945 (Model Gallery, Sligo)
This intriguing exhibition examines the differences between the Celtic Revival of Irish arts and literature in the early 20th century and the birth of the modernist movement in Ireland. Artists include Paul Henry, Jack B. Yeats, Sean Russell, Maurice MacGonigal, Louis Le Brocquy, Mary Swanzy, Evie Holt, and more.

OPENING HOURS:
Tuesday to Saturday: 10am to 5pm
Sunday & Monday: CLOSED

ADMISSION is FREE!

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My Little Black Donkey
by Claddagh N.S.

As part of Galway City Museum's People's History of Galway initiative the children of Claddagh National School were asked to re-imagine and retell Pádraic Ó Conaire's short story M'Asal Beag Dubh (My Little Black Donkey). This much-celebrated comic tale recounts the author's first encounter with his long time travelling companion - a little black donkey - which he purchased at a fair in Kinvara, Co. Galway in the early decades of the twentieth century.

Teacher, Seán Leonard, told the tale to the third class pupils who were then asked to digest the story and retell it in their own words. Maud Hand, of Hand Around the World Productions, recorded the unscripted retellings, which were then edited by the teacher. Next it was the turn of artist and animator Edith Pieperhoff to create the stop motion animation to make the story come to life.        

The resulting animation forms part of the Museum's new exhibition on Ó Conaire. It may also be watched online by clicking here

Galway City Museum would like to thank the teachers and pupils of Claddagh National School, Maud Hand and Edith Pieperhoff for their help. Go raibh míle maith agaibh! 

 



The Kitchen @
Galway City Museum

 

Serving sumptuous, taste-tingling grub and AMAZING coffee in a fabulous location next to the famous Spanish Arch.

Open:
Mon - Sat: 10am to 5.30pm
Sun: 12pm to 5.30pm

Contact:
T: (091) 534883 
E: thekitchengalway@gmail.com

 

 

 Cinema:
Galway Goes to the Pictures

This exibition looks at one hundred years of cinemas in Galway from the very first venue in 1911 to the proposed development of an arthouse cinema in 2011.

The people of Galway remember 'going to the pictures' and their stories are told through film, photographs, artefacts and a colourful display of cinema posters. Highlights include John Ford's Director's Chair used during the filming of The Quiet Man in 1952 and a Projector lightbox from the old Claddagh Palace cinema (1975-1995).

The art of film-making, the science of projection and the business of running the many cinema venues in Galway relied on people from all walks of life. As part of the People's History of Galway Project this cinema exhibition explores the role played by cinema in Galway's social life.

Visit Galway City Museum for more on Cinema, Galway goes to the pictures.