reawakening the ulster folk museum

Keeping our heritage alive for future generations.

For over half a century, the museum has preserved and interpreted the way of life and traditions of the people of Ulster that are fast disappearing in an increasingly globalised world. Rooted in a sense of community, the Ulster Folk Museum, from its foundation, was designed to celebrate shared heritage and cultural diversity.

The museum is now entering an exciting phase of renewal for the future. This transformational project will enhance our spaces, improve visitor facilities and open up more of the collection than ever before - strengthening the museum’s role in helping people connect with the stories and traditions that shape us.

A Reawakening

Through significant investment of £50m thanks to the Department for Communities and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, we will create new buildings and reimagined spaces that make it easier for more people to connect with the collection in new and different ways.

The Ulster Folk Museum is cherished for its living history experiences, within authentic heritage buildings and settings from throughout Ulster, that really bring the past to life. But it is also home to internationally significant collections that deepen our understanding of who we are and why our heritage still matters today.

The museum’s collection is truly a people’s collection. Every object has a story, and together these stories reveal the rich diversity of life in Ulster - helping visitors explore identity, belonging and community. The collection also shows how people once lived closely with the land, offering lessons on sustainability, resilience and caring for the environment.

Reawakening will unlock the full potential of this remarkable place, improving access and creating new opportunities for learning, connection and discovery.

Artist impression of the Culture Hub, a sustainable new building inspired by the traditional materials and crafts found throughout the museum. © Hoskins Architects

Artist impression of a new entrance building at the Ulster Folk Museum — Artist impression of the Culture Hub, a sustainable new building inspired by the traditional materials and crafts found throughout the museum. © Hoskins Architects

Our Plans

A new building to improve welcome and orientation, a new gallery to display the industrial collection and new making spaces where school children and adult learners can learn skills and get hands-on with heritage and our natural environment are at the centre of our plans.

The Culture Hub

This iconic new building at the front of the museum will provide visitors with a greater sense of welcome and orientation and introduce the collection.

The ‘heart and hearth’ of the Culture Hub will be a space where we can showcase our collections while offering contemporary facilities for fostering community engagement and dialogue.

Industry Zone

A major new gallery presenting the industrial heritage collection for the first time in decades, exploring how the rise and fall of Ulster’s industries shaped everyday life.

Learning Spaces

New spaces for learners – including school children, adults, apprentices and volunteers - will transform how people get hands-on with heritage and the natural environment.

Site Wide Enhancements

A series of interventions will improve wayfinding, interpretation, orientation and accessibility across the wider open-air museum experience.

The creation of more ways to get involved in the museum will create active links between past and present, positioning the museum as an essential heritage and environment resource serving as a hub of connection - to ourselves, to each other, and to the environment.

Through a focus on environment and sustainability, we will be a place where people can learn to live more in harmony with nature and the rhythms of the year. Through skills development, we will be a resource for developing creative skills and improving wellbeing through heritage crafts. Through a renewed commitment to the museum's founding vision of its peacebuilding role, we will be a resource for exploring identity and cultural diversity. We believe that everyone can find themselves reflected in the past of Ulster, and in doing so, can see themselves in the future of Ulster.

We will achieve a reawakened museum through innovative programming, diverse education programmes and investment in the infrastructure of the museum to create new spaces and new ways to link our heritage with a sustainable future.

Communities Minister ‘reawakens’ the Ulster Folk Museum with £50m in funding

The funding will support the delivery of the Reawakening project – a pivotal opportunity to improve the Ulster Folk Museum’s facilities, enhance access to collections and strengthen the museum’s role in helping people connect with their heritage.

Artist impression of a new building at the Ulster Folk Museum — Industry Zone © Hoskins Architects.

Artist impression of inside a new space at the Ulster Folk Museum — Industry Zone © Ralph Applebaum Associates.

An artist's digital rendition of a welcome centre lobby. In the background is a large display case stretching from floot to ceiling, resembling a hearth/chimney. — 'Hearth' of the Culture Hub © Ralph Applebaum Associates.

Our Funders

We are grateful to the Department for Communities and The National Lottery Heritage Fund for their instrumental support for our vision.

Using money raised by National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK's heritage. 'Reawakening the Ulster Folk Museum' is made possible with a £10 million grant awarded by the Heritage Fund and the Department for Communities is supporting the project with £40m as it moves forward through its next stages.