The 10 Best History Museums in Causeway Coastal Route, Northern Ireland

We share the rich history and culture of the Coleraine area, including music and language, through displays of historical items relating to the Loyal Orders, Ulster Scots, and World War 1. A historical walking tour of the town can be arranged on request. Tea/coffee available.

Spend time in the Boathouse Visitor Centre for a dip into Rathlin's history. The Boathouse houses a collection of displays, photographs, images and articles gathering the Island's past and present together. Worth a visit! Wheelchair access limited. History, photographs, artefacts, books, guides and souvenirs for sale. Admission Free Pre booking is advisable for the Rathlin/Ballycastle ferry.

A museum explaining the political conflict that has shaped the city and the country: a must for those unfamiliar with Northern Ireland's war-torn past.

Explore Ireland’s industrial heritage in the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum’s award-winning exhibition ‘Flax to Fabric: the Story of Irish Linen’. Trace the history of linen production in Ulster, from the earliest times to the present, and see live spinning and weaving demonstrations. Visitors can also learn about the early development of Lisburn in the Museum’s ‘Making of a Town: 17th Century Lisburn’ exhibition. The Museum offers free tours of historic Lisburn and Castle Gardens, as well as a range of free educational workshops for groups, including WWII, Ancient Egypt and Science Week. Contact reception for bookings. Please note: the Assembly Rooms and Old Market House galleries are currently closed while the building undergoes extensive renovation. They will re-open for your enjoyment in early 2014.

The award-winning Museum of Free Derry recently re-opened its doors in the Bogside following an extensive redevelopment and offers a full multi-media exhibition on the civil rights and early conflict era in the city, including Battle of the Bogside, Internment, Bloody Sunday and Operation Motorman. The museum was established by the Bloody Sunday Trust in 2006 to tell the story of the civil rights movement and the creation of Free Derry in the 1960s and 1970s, and it has become an important part of Ireland’s radical and civil rights heritage. It tells the story of how a largely working class community rose up against the years of oppression it had endured. The struggle of Free Derry is part of a wider struggle in Ireland and internationally for freedom and equality for all. In 2018, the Museum of Free Derry was named Authentic NI Experience of the Year at the Northern Ireland Tourism Awards in Belfast. Admission Price (as of Nov 2019) Adults - £7 Student/Conc - £5 and Groups 10+ - £4.

Built in 1905, this historic building opened its doors to the public in 1906 as the Carnegie Free Library following financial assistance from the American millionaire and philanthropist Mr Andrew Carnegie. The building is now home to Larne Museum & Arts Centre. The main gallery hosts permanent displays reflecting the agricultural, industrial, military and maritime history of the area. The temporary gallery plays host to a variety of temporary exhibitions throughout the year. These can include in-house or touring exhibitions and exhibitions by local groups and individuals. The building is also home to Larne Drama Circle and Larne Art Club. A number of events are held throughout the year which can include family fun days, education programmes, musical evenings, storytelling, murder mysteries, art workshops and more.