National Museum - The Museum of Country Life
Located on the outskirts of Castlebar you can find the only branch of the National Museum of Ireland located outside Dublin. The fascinating collection of artifacts on display depict Irish Country living since the Great famine of the 19th Century.
This award-winning branch of the National Museum of Ireland brings to life the traditions of rural life throughout Ireland from 1850 until close to our time. It is home to the Irish Folk life division and houses the national collection of objects representing traditional Irish life.
The exhibitions, on four floors, focus on customs and festivals, farming and fishing, trades and crafts, life in the home (including furniture and fittings) as well as the clothes made and worn by country people during the period 1850 - 1950. Rare video footage and photography are used to recreate the original settings in which the objects were made and used.
The exhibitions also highlight the importance of Folk life (objects relating to traditional life) and Folklore (intangible aspects of life - stories, myths, and traditional beliefs and practices).