10 Museums in County Cork That You Shouldn't Miss

We are a family run interpretive centre, just off the main road(R600)between Clonakilty and Timoleague/Kinsale).We are also located on the Wild Atlantic Way. We are open from Mid June to Mid September. At the centre we give presentations interpreting the life and times of Michael Collins. We begin with an audio visual presentation showing all the places connected with Michael Collins in West Cork, we also have a second audio visual consisting of archive footage. The most unique part of the presentation is our live lecture which is conducted by an expert historian who gives an account of the 'Big Fella's' life from 1906 until his death. We also have a full scale replica of the Ambush site in Beal na mBlath. We also do private Michael Collins tours.

Kinsale Pottery and Arts Centre offer short courses in a wide range of arts and crafts throughout the year. These include pottery, stained and fused glass, jewellery-making, mosaics, batik, needle felting, weaving and rag weaving,sculpting in silver and childrens arts and crafts. We specialise in one-day workshops and weekend breaks for visitors, and half-day sessions for groups of between 6 and 50 people. The Centre also has a large gallery of Adrian Wistreich's ceramics.

Nano Nagle Place is a restored walled convent with beautiful hidden gardens and graveyards, the fab Good Day Deli garden café and design & book shop in the centre of bustling Cork city. Our state of the art heritage centre tells the extraordinary story 18th century Cork and how Nano Nagle worked tirelessly to educate the poor of the city. History, heritage, culture, great food & coffee, stunning architecture & landscaping and a very warm welcome await! Come and explore all that's good in Cork!

This exhibition has been prepared by Irish Veterans, a Registered Charity established to research and commemorate the global military experience of the Irish and Irish diaspora. The exhibition will guide you through Irish involvement from the American Civil War up to the war in Afghanistan. Among the artifacts on display is the only Medal of Honor displayed outside of America.

Corks Most Captivating Experience:A step back in time to see what 19th/early 20th century life was like-inside and outside prison walls. Historical experience brought to life with amazingly lifelike figures, furnished cells, sound effects & fascinating exhibitions. This exhibition fascinates visitors of all ages and nationalities and the tour is available in up to 13 languages.

Crawford Art Gallery is a National Cultural Institution and regional art museum for Munster, dedicated to the visual arts, both historic and contemporary. Admission to the Gallery and to exhibitions is free. The permanent collection comprises almost 4,000 works, ranging from eighteenth century Irish and European painting and sculpture, through to contemporary video installations. At the heart of the collection is a collection of Greek and Roman sculpture casts, brought to Cork in 1818 from the Vatican Museum in Rome. Through its temporary exhibitions, publications and education programmes, the Crawford Art Gallery is committed to fostering recognition, critical assessment, and acknowledgement of historical and contemporary Irish and international art practice. Located in the heart of Cork city, the gallery is a critical part of Ireland's cultural and tourism infrastructure, welcoming almost 200,000 visitors a year.

As Ireland's only Model Village, the West Cork Model Railway Village in Clonakilty, Co. Cork is a fully scaled handmade model of the old West Cork Railway Line with fully working trains and the towns that the railway served during the 1940s. Take a spin on our iconic Road Train through the beautiful town of Clonakilty. Indoor and outdoor play areas. Relax and enjoy a cup of coffee/tea in our cafe or visit our Gift Shop in an authentic train carriage.

Skibbereen Heritage Centre's Great Famine Exhibition tells the poignant story of this pivotal period in Irish history. Skibbereen became notorious as one of the worst affected areas in all of Ireland and this tragic era is now brought to life via the latest multimedia technology. Walk or take a virtual tour of sites associated with the Great Famine that still exist today including the mass graves where almost 10,000 people are buried. At Skibbereen Heritage Centre you can also discover the unique nature of Lough Hyne, a salt-water lake just 5km from Skibbereen which is Europe's first Marine Nature Reserve. Find out about the history, folklore and formation of this renowned natural phenomenon with a multi-lingual audio-visual display and follow with a trip to the lake and follow the Knockomagh Wood Nature Trail which overlooks the lake. Skibbereen Heritage Centre also offers a genealogy service for the greater West Cork area, an archaeology trail, a gift shop, reference library and a great welcome!

The Queenstown Story tells the story of Irish emigration- from the indentured servants and forced labour who left for the Colonies and the West Indies in the 17th century, the early emigrants to Canada and the U.S.the Great famine and the transportation of convicts to Australia . Learn about our maritime history,the hardship and the heartbreak. Find the stories and learn the connection between Cobh and the Titanic and the Lusitania. A facinating, educational and emotional journey through our past. "Walk in the footsteps" of our emigrant ancestors in this restored Victorian building.