Down County Museum (Downpatrick)
Located in the restored eighteenth century County Gaol of Down, the museum's exhibitions tell the story of the people of County Down from the earliest times to today. Down Through Time is a major fully accessible exhibition now open in the Governor's Residence.
Featuring hundreds of historic artefacts, documents and photographs, audio-video displays, gallery audio points, interactive databases and lots of hands-on activities for children, it's a must for all the family.
Audio tours of the museum also available in French, German, Spanish and Irish.
Welcome to Down County Museum, where the rich heritage of County Down is brought to life in fascinating exhibitions, lively events, hands-on activities and award winning education programmes.
Visitors can explore the history of the old Gaol, enjoy our permanent exhibitions and see one of our special, temporary exhibitions displaying objects from our varied collections.
Keep up-to-date with the Museum's latest news on our Facebook page or check out our Virtual Visit Tour on the links below.
Tours & Events: There is however a charge for some special events and for guided tours.
Opening Hours
We will close for Christmas on 23rd December 2023 and reopen on 2nd January 2024. Our regular opening hours are:
Tuesday – Saturday
10.00am – 4.30pm
For further information please email Museums@nmandd.org
Telephone +44 (0) 33 0137 4049
We are located on the Mall, English Street, Downpatrick, between Down Cathedral and Downpatrick Courthouse. On entry to the town from either the Belfast road or the Newcastle road, follow the brown signs to the Museum. There is an Ulsterbus service from Belfast to Downpatrick, departing from the Europa Bus Centre. There is also an Ulsterbus service from Newry.
