Galway City Museum
Músaem Chathair na Gaillimhe
A free museum beside the Spanish Arch, telling Galway's history from the medieval 'Fourteen Tribes' to the present; the top floor overlooks the estuary.
The Galway City Museum is right next to the Spanish Arch and free to visit. Its three floors cover Galway's archaeological finds, the rise and fall of the medieval merchant families known as the 'Fourteen Tribes,' the traditional 'hooker' sailing boat, Irish-language culture and contemporary art, as well as a marine science gallery. The top-floor café and terrace look straight out over the mouth of the Corrib and Claddagh, with excellent views. The museum is usually closed on Mondays, and a visit takes about an hour.
Opening hours
Tue–Sat 10:00–17:00; Sun 12:00–17:00 (check website)
Nearby sights
- Spanish Arch & The Long Walk
- Galway Latin Quarter
- St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church
- Eyre Square
- Galway Cathedral
- Salthill Promenade
- Dunguaire Castle
- Ross Errilly Friary