Megan’s topic in school is currently World War II, and in more normal circumstances this would have included a class trip to the Northern Ireland War Memorial, Belfast. Not wanting her to miss out we booked in for a free family tour as soon as they re-opened.
Where the Northern Ireland War Memorial Museum?
The Northern Ireland War Memorial Museum is located on Talbot Street within the Cathedral Quarter, a very short walk from Belfast City Centre. Street parking is available around the Cathedral at a charge, alternatively there is a large car park at St. Anne’s Square, which is only a short walk away.
Opening hours and cost.
Admission is free. Opening hours vary, so it is best to keep an eye on their website for tour times.
What to see and do.
Museum
We spent our time in the museum learning the story of the Belfast Blitz, about the Ulster Home Guard, the role played by women in the war and the presence of US forces in Northern Ireland from 1942 to 1944.
Megan was in her element telling us what she had learnt in school as we went around the exhibits. I think she even taught the guide a few things too!
In the centre of museum is a bronze statue showing a mother walking her young child through the ruins of Belfast on the morning after an air raid in 1941. Along side the statue is a screen recalling the names of people who lost their lives during the Belfast Blitz.
There are normally war time uniforms, games and audio stories of people recalling their memories of those nights. However sadly due to Covid-19 restrictions these have been removed. Nonetheless this minor inconvenience was made up with a free activity pack, which Megan was delighted with!
The museum hosts events on a regular basis and the exhibits do change, therefore we will be back again for another visit I’m sure.
Belfast Blitz Walking Tour
The walking tour is a new addition to the museum, therefore we were one of the first to pick up the guide during our visit.
The tour takes you around the Cathedral Quarter in Belfast. The guide book shows images of how the area looked in the days before and after the blitz. The audio guide brings this all to life and you get a real sense of what it would be like to have been there on those nights. A “wait what?” moment came from Megan, when the audio guide told us about men standing on the roof of the bank and brushing incendiary devices off the building as they fell from the sky to save the bank! Certainly not a job any of us would like to have done.
Would we recommend?
Yes! The museum is small, but very informative. We spent around 45 minutes in the museum, plus around an hour doing the walking tour. If you have children who are learning about WWII, or just have an interest in the role Northern Ireland played, this museum and the walking tour is for you.
Thanks for taking the time to read our blog about Northern Ireland War Memorial Museum, Belfast.
The Lewis Family.
If you enjoy reading about our days out in Northern Ireland. Check out our other blog posts here – Northern Ireland