The Top Museums to Visit in Cork, Ireland
Dublin may be home to many of the best-known Irish museums, but Cork holds a rich and idiosyncratic cultural past that will charm any visitor. Trace the city’s history through deep dives into themes like rebellion and incarceration, or look into the future with the interactive exhibitions at the Lifetime Lab in the Old Cork Waterworks. Art lovers won’t be disappointed either, from Louis Le Brocquy’s portraits at the Crawford to cutting-edge modern Irish art at the Lewis Glucksman Gallery.
1. The Crawford Art Gallery
Art Gallery, Building, Opera House
The Crawford Art Gallery is housed in Cork’s former Custom House – an imposing red-brick structure erected in 1724 and a welcome juxtaposition to the modern glass façade of Cork Opera House next door. The building has been augmented many times since, with the most recent extension in 2000 – designed by Dutch architect Erick van Egeraat – bringing an additional exhibition wing for modern art. The impressive permanent collection gives a visual insight into themes that trace the city’s biography, from the life of a ‘merchant prince’ in 18th-century Cork to famine and emigration. Check for upcoming rotating exhibitions before you visit.
Crawford Art Gallery, Emmett Place, Cork, Ireland +353 21 480 5042
2. Cork Butter Museum
Museum
3. Cork City Gaol
Cork City Gaol is a sombre and moving museum experience. Although only a 30-minute walk from the city centre, the gaol is enveloped in tranquil and generous grounds. The austere stone structure first opened in 1824 and operated as a prison for 100 years. Countess Markievicz – the first woman elected to the British Parliament, although she did not take her seat – was incarcerated here in 1919 during the Irish War of Independence. The museum is incredibly informative, with the history of incarceration here contextualised within the wider historical and political context. Details of the everyday routes and routines of the prisoners and preserved signatures on the wall enrich the emotional resonance of the experience.
Convent Ave, Sunday’s Well, Cork, Ireland +353 21 430 5022
5. Lifetime Lab at Old Cork Waterworks
Building, Museum
Overlooking the waterworks weir on the River Lee, the Old Cork Waterworks supplied water to the city for centuries but is now home to the Lifetime Lab – an interactive museum experience focused on science and technology. Built from alternating Cork red sandstone and grey limestone, this Victorian building and tapered square tower have now been lovingly restored. Kids will love the exhibits, as well as summer camps and LEGO workshops hosted here as a means of engaging their interest in how the world around them works, and how they can be part of improving it.
Sunday’s Well, Lee Road, Cork, Ireland +353 21 494 1500
https://www.instagram.com/p/BKbAWphAe7T/?taken-at=330776641
6. Lewis Glucksman Gallery
Art Gallery, Building, Museum, University
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