Museums & Heritage
The fun in North Down goes on. Museums are great family fun too! Those seeking culture can expand their mind and have fun at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum in Cultra or the North Down Museum in Bangor. There are plenty of heritage sites in the area to discover.
Bangor Abbey
Tel: 028 9127 0069
Abbey Street and Newtownards Road.
Bangor
Facilities: P,F
One of the highlights in Bangor’s Christian Heritage - the oldest remains of Bangor Abbey, which is associated with St Columbanus and St Comgall, are at St Malachy’s Wall, adjacent to the Old Gate Lodge. The present building dates from the mid 1800s but the tower is from the 15th century. The churchyard has many fascinating gravestones including a memorial to the Titanic’s assistant surgeon.
Visits by arrangement. Exterior and graveyard are accessible at all times.
Bangor Castle (Town Hall)
Tel: 028 9127 0371
Castle Park Avenue, Bangor.
Walk up the rolling lawn to view this imposing building built in 1852 for Robert Edward Ward. It is presently the headquarters of North Down Borough Council who use the mansion’s spectacular grand saloon as the council chamber.
The building was completed in 1852 for The Hon Robert Edward Ward, this imposing building is an elegant mansion in the Elizabethan-Jacobean revival style. It had no fewer than 35 bedrooms and incorporated a huge saloon for musical recitals. When the then municipal authority, Bangor Borough Council, acquired the Castle and grounds, the music saloon became the Council Chamber.
Situated in Castle Park the gardens have won many awards for their outstanding blooms.
Opening Hours: Bangor Castle and its surrounding gardens can be admired from the outside at all times. The reception area of the Town Hall is open during office hours.
Cockle Row Cottages
Tel: 028 9127 0069
Groomsport Harbour
Facilities: DA,WC,P,F,S
Make the 10 minute journey from Bangor back 300 years to when the little sailing harbour was a major port. The beautiful village of Groomsport is known for it's picturesque harbour that was once a major fishing port and it's two fishermans cottages known as Cockle Row Cottages.
Cockle Row Cottages are one of the main attractions for the visitor in Groomsport. The old fishermen's thatched cottages have not lost their original charm with the heritage cottage depicting what Cockle Row would have been like around 1910.
The second cottage is now a Tourist Information Centre and provides information and events in the area and houses a small shop.
Throughout the summer months, June through August, the cottages host a variety of entertainment every weekend afternoon. Activities range from wildlife road shows to craft activities and live music
Groomsport is famous for the heroic attempt of the 'Eagle Wing', the first ship to set sail for the New World to establish the first settlement of Ulster-Scots. This journey is commemorated in the village's annual Eagle Wing Celebrations which celebrates Groomsport's American links.
Groomsport: Accessible all year.
Cockle Row Cottages: Seasonal - June, July and August 11.30am - 5.30pm daily, plus seasonal events.
Grey Point Fort
Tel: 028 9185 2439
Fort Road, Helen’s Bay, close to Crawfordsburn Country Park.
Bangor
Facilities: WC, P, F
Explore this unusual wartime artillery site and enjoy the commanding views over Belfast Lough for which it was built to protect from the area from enemy invasion. Kids and adults alike will love it On the shore nearby is the obelisk marking the Measured Mile used by Harland & Wolff to monitor the speed of vessels such as Titanic.
Visitors to the Fort can take a short stroll along the coast to Crawfordsburn Country Park and Visitor Centre.
Note that opening hours may change through the year. Click for up to date information.
Holywood Heritage Sites
Tel: 028 9127 0069
off A2, 6 miles from Bangor.
Holywood
Facilities: WC,P,F
Spend the day exploring one of North Down’s most venerable and vibrant communities. Particularly famous nowadays for speciality shopping, fen food and trendy cafés, this affluent town has a trendy cafés, this affluent town has a wealth of well-tended parks and heritage attractions.
Holywood Priory
Tel: 028 9127 0069
High Street at the corner of Bangor Road.
Holywood
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Experience the rich ecclesiastical heritage, at the Old Priory which has remains dating back to the 13th century. It was the town’s parish church from 1615 to 1844. In the churchyard are buried Robert Lloyd Praeger, the renowned naturalist and his sculptor sister Rosamund whose bronze statue “Johnny the Jig” stands in front of the children’s playground in High Street.
Holywood Maypole
Tel: 028 9127 0069
Intersection of High Street and Shore Street.
Holywood
Holywood’s most well known feature is the town’s Maypole, the only one surviving in Ireland. Early maps show a Maypole has stood on the site since the 1620’s.Today it is still the focus of the annual May Day Celebrations and fair, when local school children dance around the maypole alongside other family attractions.
North Down Museum
Tel: 028 9127 1200
Castle Park, Castle Park Avenue
Bangor
Facilities: DA,R,WC,P,F,S
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Discover the area’s fascinating history in Northern Ireland’s most visited small museum, located amid the wooded nature trails of Castle Park.
The displays reflect the pivotal role nearby Bangor Abbey held in early Christian Ireland and throughout Europe.Discover how the monks met their fate at the hands of the Vikings and visitor’s will love the full-size Monk’s Cell and Viking Long-house. Nostalgic displays on Bangor’s early days as a resort, plus a mini cinema combine with temporary exhibitions to make this a ‘must’ for all ages.
Here you can also have a rest and enjoy a meal or snack in the Castle Garden restaurant. The museum shop offers a range of books and gifts from the area.
Opening Hours: Tues-Sat 10am-4.30pm, Sun 2pm-4.30pm. Closed on Mondays, except July & August and Bank Holidays. Accessible for people with disabilities - Admission is Free.
Tower House
Tel: 028 9127 0069
34 Quay Street
Bangor
Facilities: DA
Today Tower House serves as the Bangor's Tourist Information Centre. The 17th Century Tower and adjoining Tower House on Bangor Seafront are well preserved reminders of Bangor's sea-faring history alongside its modern Marina.
Originally built in 1637 as a Custom House, the architecture of the Tower is unique in Bangor and rare in Ulster. Over the past 300 years the building has served various purposes - private dwellings, an antique shop and housed hot sea water baths.
The future of the Tower House was protected when the Historic Buildings Branch of the Department of the Environment added it to their "List of Buildings of Special Interest" in 1979.
Opening Hours: Mon 10am to 5pm, Tue - Fri: 9am to 5pm, Sat 10am to 4pm, Sunday Closed.
Summer Opening Hours in July and August: Mon and Wed-Fri 9am-6pm, Tues 9.30am-6pm, Sat 10am-5pm and Sun 1-5pm
Ulster Folk & Transport Museum
Tel: 028 9042 8428
Located along the A2 Belfast-Bangor road at Cultra, near Holywood.
Nearest train stop: Cutra
Facilities: DA,R,WC,P,F,S
Step back in time and uncover a way of life from 100 years ago. Discover town and countryside with cottages, farms, schools and shops to explore as you wander through the beautiful parkland of the Folk Museum. Chat to costumed visitor guides as they demonstrate traditional crafts. Climb on and off majestic steam locomotives or experience the sensation of flight in the Transport Museum bursting with horse drawn carriages, electric trams, boats, motorbikes, fire-engines and vintage cars.
Visit TITANICa: The Exhibition and explore a fascinating collection of original artifacts, including RMS Titanic objects from the seabed. Find out why Titanic and her sister ships were built in Belfast and discover life on board through personal stories from Harland & Wolff Shipyard workers, passengers and crew. Continue the TITANICa Trail to the Folk Museum and discover the living history experience that is, TITANICa: The People’s Story. Walk the historic streets and meet the people who built the ship and lived in her time. Chat to the shipyard Riveter in his house, visit Baird's Print Shop to get your own Titanic launch ticket and watch original footage of Titanic and Harland & Wolff in the silent cinema.
Click for information on admission prices and opening hours.