The Ulster Folk Museum is a wonderful living history museum located just three miles east of Belfast city centre.
It is a fabulous day out for history enthusiasts and lovers of all things vintage.
What is the Ulster Folk Museum?
First opened in 1964, the Ulster Folk museum invites you to literally wander back in time to Ulster in the late 19th to the mid-20th century.
The museum has an impressive collection of heritage buildings. Some are original and were moved brick-by-brick to the museum. Others are faithful recreations of historic homes, shops and workplaces.
The museum is a work of living history, having recreated a turn-of-the-century community that visitors are invited to join for the day.
The Ulster Folk Museum, Cultra, nr. Belfast
Exploring the museum is a bit like time travel. As the Ulster Folk Museum puts it, ‘ you are invited to experience life and traditions from over a hundred years ago’.
The homes range from very simple rural cottages with little in the way of comfort to the opulent home of a bank manager.
Every home had a at least one fire place and/or a kitchen range. Loved the ‘Home Sweet Home’ detail on this one and jumped at the chance to get my feet in front of the fire for five minutes.
Sometimes a glimpse into the past were intriguing, other times it left me feeling deeply grateful for modern day everything.
Outside toilets, the tin bath and wash day without modern appliances is not quite the ‘good old days’ I like to daydream about.
The homes are set around the edge of town, where you can experience a bit of old fashioned day-to day business. Experiences here include:
- A look into the dressmakers house, complete with beautiful vintage outfits.
- A visit to the bank and the bank managers home.
- Have sweets of your choice weighed out for you at the corner shop. Mine was a quarter of midget gems, in case you’re wondering.
- Pick up some daily essentials at the hardware shop; you can actually shop here. They sell a great range of heritage brands, including Falcon Enamelware and Mason Cash dishes.
- Drop into the Post Office. The place for postcards, parcels, telegrams and telephone calls.
Fun Fact: Running the Post Office was a huge responsibility; the post master or mistress would know everything that went on in the community. So much so, that upon taking up the role they had to take an oath against gossiping.
I discovered the above by chatting with the Post mistress. The costumed guides really bring the history and old buildings to life; chatting with visitors, sharing knowledge, demonstrating historic skills from baking to basket weaving.
Not a lot would have happened back in the day without coal to fuel it all, so of course the museum has a coal office – complete with roaring fire, naturally- and a coal yard.
I’m actually fascinated by the history of mining communities so quite liked a little mooch around this corner of the museum. Interesting to explore, but forever grateful for the option of central heating.
How Long to Spend at The Ulster Folk Museum
The recommended time for a visit is 2-3 hours. There’s no time limit, once in you are free to explore at leisure.
We were there for 3.5 hours and didn’t see everything. As we visited near Christmas, there were some seasonal events on and some parts of the museum closed. A return visit is on the calendar for Spring.
We stopped in the tea rooms and also spent time watching demonstrations and chatting to guides. This is a museum to make a day of.
There’s an online map of the museum here. Have a look and get inspired to start planning your own visit.
How to Get to the Ulster Folk Museum
The Ulster Folk Museum is located just outside Belfast in Cultra. The address to use if driving would be 153 Bangor Road, BT18 0EU. Free parking, EV charging available at neighbouring Ulster Transport Museum.
The museum makes a great day trip from Belfast and is easily accessible by public transport.
By Bus: 502A or 502B from the central Laganside Buscentre ( service to Bangor). Ask for the Ulster Folk Museum, it’s a ten minute sign posted walk to the museum entrance.
By Train: Using the Bangor line from Belfast Lanyon station, disembark at Cultra. It’s a 15 minute walk to the Ulster Folk Museum, passing the Transport museum first.
For travel details and updates, use Translink
Ulster Folk Museum Opening Times & Prices
Pre booking is recommended, particularly when events are being held.
The museum is open;
10.00-16.00 Tuesday- Friday
11.00-16.00 Saturday- Sunday
Closed Monday, last entry at 14.00
Other Things to Do in the Area
Many visitors to Belfast don’t make it out of the city centre, and that’s a shame as there is so much to see in the local area. If you are visiting the Ulster Folk Museum you might also enjoy;
- The Ulster Transport Museum ( post coming soon) : vintage vehicles, local history and the cutest museum cafe. Located a ten minute walk from the Ulster Folk Museum.
- Explore the coastal suburb of Holywood ( guide coming soon): An affluent neighbourhood with Priory ruins, boutiques and lots of cafes and coffee shops. Including a branch of legendary Northern Irish ice cream specialists, Mauds.
- Go for a walk in Redburn Country Park. The park used to be the grounds of long gone country house but there are interesting remains and beautiful walks.
Enjoy this post? Try this one next for more Northern Ireland travel inspiration: How to Visit the Gleno Waterfall: A Fairytale Walk in the Glens of Antrim
Helen x
That looks really interesting. A bit Like Beamish?
It reminded me of Beamish too 🙂
It’s definitely a bit like Beamish, one of the costumed guides had actually been to Beamish. She picked up my accent and mentioned it straight away!
Very interesting and yes, very much along the same lines as Beamish. A place I have enjoyed and do miss, so finding the Ulster Folk Museum near enough for day trips is a win!
I love this kind of ‘Oooh I remember that!’ kind of museum, even though it makes me feel old.
Living history museums are always fun, thanks for coming along
I always enjoy this sort of museum and like the others was immediately reminded of Beamish which I love! But sad to say, I’m old enough (just!) to have experienced ‘outside toilets, the tin bath and wash day without modern appliances’ 😀
I’ve enjoyed many days at Beamish and it’s very similar. Could be- if only just!- a trip down memory lane for you then!
I’m so pleased you visited both here and the Transport Museums as they are both really good Helen.
They are both really good, we enjoyed both visits and will hopefully make it again while we are here.
Looks like a fabulous museum, preserving the history, culture an heritage of the area. I particularly love the Parlour in the Bank Managers home – very cosy and that sofa is a statement piece if ever I saw one!! 🙂
It’s a lovely place to spend a day. I loved that room, bank managers wife obviously had a few quid to spend on being a bit extra!
I love this museum, especially as some of the homes featured are close to re-creations of places my mother lived in during her childhood – as you say, not ‘the good old days’…
It’s a fabulous place, looking forward to a return visit in the Spring.
Looks like an interesting visit and you took some lovely photos. 🙂
Thank you, it was a lovely day out.
I visited the Ulster Folk Museum last summer and loved the whole experience. We ended up spending a full day popping in and out of various heritage buildings, listening to stories and wandering the rolling hills of the countryside. It is a remarkable living museum as it offers a place to think about how we, as the current generation, are still adapting to change and how we might find meaning and inspiration from the many generations before us to help build a cleaner, greener and prosperous future. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
what an interesting museum! and I love the Christmas decorations too
A very vintage Christmas! hoping to get back here soon now the weather is nicer. They have a farm we didn’t get to in Winter