Galway City Museum

Galway City Museum stands on the banks of the River Corrib in the heart of Galway, tucked beside the medieval Spanish Arch in the city's old quarter. The contemporary glass and stone building, opened in 2007, replaced the original museum that had occupied a smaller space nearby and now provides three floors of free public galleries devoted to the archaeology, history and culture of Galway and its surrounding region.

Permanent displays trace the story of the city from prehistoric times through its medieval golden age as a walled trading port, when the Tribes of Galway built their fortunes on commerce with Spain and France. Visitors can see the surviving section of the old town wall incorporated into the building, alongside collections of stonework, civic regalia, fishing craft from the Claddagh village, and the original Galway hooker sailing boat suspended within the atrium.

The upper floors host rotating exhibitions on Irish art, archaeology and contemporary social history, with works by artists associated with the west of Ireland. Large windows frame views over the Long Walk, the Corrib estuary and Galway Bay, making the building itself part of the experience. A ground-floor cafe and shop round out a visit that pairs well with a wander through the Latin Quarter just outside.