Donegal County Museum was first opened to the public in 1987. In the first phase of development the Museum was housed in what was once the Warden's house of the Letterkenny Workhouse, built in 1843. In 1990/91 the existing Museum building was renovated and an extension built. Further renovations were undertaken between 1999 and 2000.
The role of Donegal County Museum is to collect, record, preserve, communicate and display for the use and enjoyment of the widest community possible, the material evidence and associated information of the history of Donegal.
Donegal County Museum preserves and celebrates the collective memory of the county and its communities, through the preservation, display and interpretation of artefacts. It aims to make the community live through the objects. It aims to be a dynamic, social, cultural institution which serves all of its communities - adult, child, unwaged, elderly, disabled, as well as people of all creeds and opinions, and to have an overt sense of purpose which will encourage all to learn and to understand the past through museum objects.
In order to achieve these aims the Museum contains two exhibition galleries, a workshop, a storage area and offices.
The Museum develops and cares for a comprehensive collection of original artefacts relating to the history of County Donegal in the areas of Archaeology, Geology, Natural History, Social and Political History and Folklife.
The Museum has a workshop and storage facility where artefacts are preserved and stored under the appropriate environmental conditions.
The Museum contains two exhibition galleries. A series of temporary exhibitions are held each year in the ground floor gallery. The first floor gallery contains an exhibition which covers topics in Donegal History from the Stone Age to the Twentieth Century.
Admission Free Wheelchair access
Monday to Friday 10.00am-4.30pm, Saturday 1.00pm-4.30pm, Closed for lunch 12.30-1.00
Further information can be obtained by contacting:
Judith McCarthy,
Tel: 074 91 24613
email: museum@donegalcoco.ie