Ireland's National Folklife Collection
Explore Ireland's National Folklife Collection across four floors of modern, award-winning exhibition galleries. Objects, interactive audio and visual displays, rare photography and archive film footage depict the lifestyles, customs and traditions of our rural ancestors.
Read moreTurlough Park House
Visit historic Turlough Park House, located just next to the main museum galleries. This Victorian Gothic mansion dates to 1865. It was the ancestral home of the Fitzgeralds, an influential family of landowners with an interesting history in the region.
Read moreVictorian Gardens
The Green Flag award-winning gardens are some of the loveliest in the region with lots of interesting features and things to see and do. Today, the gardens and grounds are maintained by the OPW and Mayo County Council.
Read moreMorris Dancing in the Park
Come along to see The Ancient Men, a group of travelling Morris dancers from the UK, at an outdoor performance at 1.30pm on Saturday, 2 August. This folk dancing group gather together each summer to tour a chosen area. This year, they are touring throughout Mayo and Connemara from 28 July to 2 August.
Read moreTake a tour
Discover objects and stories that are both familiar and surprising from the National Folklife Collection. Join a free guided tour at 2pm and 3.30pm each Saturday to learn about life in the Irish countryside from the 1850s to 1950s, exploring fascinating traditions, customs and skills. Then learn more about the Fitzgerald family and the history and architectural style of Turlough Park House and Gardens.
Read moreWoodland Explorer
Young visitors are invited to explore biodiversity and engage in some mindful nature watching through the free Woodland Explorer activity booklet, available from Museum Reception. The grounds of Turlough Park are home to lots of different habitats with woodland, gardens, lake and river areas. Learn more and use your keen senses and skills to complete a series of fun nature challenges to finish this self-guided trail!
Read moreNational Heritage Week
The Museum will once again be participating in National Heritage Week between 16 and 24 August. One of this year’s highlight events is a traditional skills demonstration featuring the well-known woodworker and influencer Eoin Reardon and skilled basketmaker Tom Delaney of ‘Ould Crafty’. This event takes place on Sunday, 24 August. Be sure to follow the National Museum on social media for further details as they are announced.
Orienteering
Did you know you can give orienteering a try in the grounds of Turlough Park? Go to Museum Reception to pick up a map of the newly developed orienteering routes. There are five maps to choose from. Then download the app to enjoy a fun, family friendly orienteering activity through 30-acres of gardens, woodland and parkland.
Read moreThe magic of bees
Celebrate the magic of Ireland’s bees, their vital role in nature, and the special bond they share with us through the fascinating and family-friendly exhibition 'The Murmur of Bees'.
Read more'SWARM'
Pencil in a stop at the Courtyard Gallery during your visit to see a vibrant children’s art installation inspired by Ireland’s bee species. Combining colour, movement and shadow, SWARM was created by school children across counties Mayo, Sligo and Galway, working with artist Cas McCarthy. The project took place in association with the popular exhibition The Murmur of Bees, which remains on display this summer in the exhibition galleries.
Read moreGreenway day out
Combine your visit with a Greenway cycle for a great day out for all of the family. The Museum Greenway connects Castlebar to the grounds of Turlough Park, following the course of the Castlebar River through peaceful countryside and native woodland sections.
Read moreTurlough Park
Turlough Park,
Castlebar,
Co. Mayo,
F23 HY31
+353 94 903 1755