Galway City Museum

MOST VIBRANT CULTURAL SPACE IN GALWAY: We visited the museum in Sept 2025 and were deeply impressed by the vibrant cultural space. The museum is located right next to Spanish Arch, overlooking the fast moving Corrib river as well as the Galway Bay and the mighty Atlantic Ocean. We understand that the museum came into being in 2007. The museum blends effortlessly in the historic surroundings, signifying a combination of heritage and traditions with modernity. The museum displays art, history and architecture of Galway. We were impressed with the traditional fishing practices of Galway. The museum also highlights the importance of story telling with the rooftop offering a breathtaking view of the town on the western coast of Ireland. In short, it provides a cultural immersion into the culture and history of the Irish Republic.

The Galway City Museum was one of the most rewarding experiences of our time in Galway. It offered a clear and engaging look into the city’s history, helping me understand how everything we were seeing around town fit together. It gave context to the culture, architecture, and even the street names, turning the rest of our trip into a much richer experience. The exhibits are well curated and easy to follow. They cover everything from medieval Galway to its maritime heritage and modern development. What I really appreciated was how the museum focused on the stories of the people who shaped the city. It felt personal and authentic rather than just a collection of facts. The museum is welcoming to all ages and types of travelers. The layout is simple to navigate and visually interesting, with a few interactive touches that make it even more enjoyable. Its location near the Spanish Arch and River Corrib makes it convenient to visit during a day of exploring. If you're visiting Galway, make time for this museum. It gives you a deeper connection to the city and its people, and it made everything else we saw feel that much more meaningful.

What a cool design for a museum. There is so much history about Galway, from the poets to its fishing history, and all the people who once walked the streets shoeless. I love the historical model facing how the town across the bay now looks. Oh! And the Legos throughout the museum.. Nice touch.

Very cool experience through the history of the city of Galway. Walk through time and experience well preserved artifacts and interactive exhibits. Learn about the bog and how the people of Ireland used it to their advantage from building to luring enemies to their doom. As you wander the top floors explore their current super human exhibit and see the progression of modern medicine and dive into an under the ocean experience exhibit.

Friendly staff welcoming us at reception. The museum was clean and had good visual directions. Lots of interesting information on Irelands history. Must visit.

This free museum is very descriptive and informative about the history of Galway. Also, for families with kids it can be educational as there are lots of interactive parts.

Entry is free😍 Museum is worth visiting here and is really good if you want to know about the history of Galway. Worth all the time spent here

3 floors that house a few archaeological finds, items from the Irish Civil War, and a medical room with historic and modern, innovative instruments. And all free!!