Galway City Museum is reopening this morning after months of closure, with two brand new exhibits to welcome visitors back.
The city museum is reopening to the public as of 10am on Tuesday morning. Admission remains free, but visitors will now have to book a ticket online ahead of time.
In the first phase of reopening the museum, visitors will only have access to the ground floor, but they’ll get to enjoy two brand new exhibitions: MONUMENT with Galway 2020, and the captivating display on The Corrib: Myth, Legend & Folklore.
Visitor numbers and social distancing requirements will be strictly monitored, and to visitors will be required to present their ticket at the entrance, either printed off or on their mobile.
MONUMENT
This major new exhibition is a collaboration between Galway 2020 and Galway City Museum as part of the cultural programme for the European Capital of Culture.
Focusing on the stone forts of Aran, and Dún Aonghasa in particular, this exhibition investigates and showcases some of Europe’s most impressive stone monuments located on some of Europe’s smallest islands.
MONUMENT is a multidisciplinary exhibition platform, that brings together different people and disciplines working across archaeology, architecture, craft and design, cultural landscapes, and heritage.
Assisted by the National Museum the exhibition will feature never seen before material from the 1990s archaeological excavations at Dún Aonghasa, along with specially commissioned craft pieces by some of Ireland’s most respected makers.
Curated by Eithne Verling, Director of the Galway City Museum and Sybil Curley, the project has been inspired by the three themes of the ECOC Galway2020 programme – Landscape, Language and Migration.
“Our vision for the exhibition blends digital, physical and tactile experiences to tell this story in a manner that we hope will entertain, inform and delight audiences of all ages,” Eithne Verling said.
The Corrib: Myth, Legend and Folklore
Lough Corrib is one of the largest lakes in Ireland, connected to the ocean by the short, but power, Corrib River which runs through Galway City.
Featuring specially-commissioned artwork by Sadie Cramer, this exhibition explores some of the old myths and stories about the lake, river and bay and sets them in a broader context.
This exhibition can also be enjoyed as a walking tour and visitors are encouraged to take the specially designed Myth, Legend and Folklore Tour brochure with them as they leave the exhibition so they can visit each site associated with the stories presented.
“The sound of the River Corrib as it rushes towards Galway Bay is, and always has been, the soundtrack to life in Galway,” said Brendan McGowan, curator of the exhibit.
“This beautifully-illustrated exhibition, and accompanying walking trail, explores some of the myth, legend and folklore that the river and bay have inspired over the centuries. After visiting, you will never look at them the same again.”
