Come face to face with dinosaurs, meet an Egyptian Mummy and see modern masterpieces with a visit to the new look Ulster Museum, open to the public again from 22nd October 2009.
As Northern Ireland’s treasure house of the past and present, the museum is home to a rich collection of art, history and natural sciences and free to all visitors. From Ireland to the South Pacific, ancient relics to hands on activities, the museum offers something for everyone from the simply curious to the enthusiast.
New additions
Following its long, £17.5m refurbishment,the museum features a new 23-metre high entrance atrium with glass and steel walkways leading into the captivating galleries at different levels. A stunning ‘Window on Our World’ giant display tower, a structure scaling four levels and housing the most iconic objects from across the museum’s diverse collections, will provide visitors with a flavour of what the museum has to offer as well as encourage them to delve deeper into the museum experience.
‘Window on Our World’ includes the Chambers Car and Edmontosaurus dinosaur - the most complete real dinosaur fossil on display in Ireland – as well as smaller objects such as a Viking brooch, gold coins from the Armada treasures; exotic butterflies and bugs from the nature collection. Using the latest technology, the state-of-the-art display tower will also project 360 degree images, with accompanying audio, onto the four walls of the gallery.
A new restaurant has been created with a terrace leading out into Botanic Gardens; the museum and the gardens are now much more integrated thanks to extensive landscaping. There are also three new interactive learning zones and a new high-level gallery for the display of glass, ceramics, silver and jewellery.
Old friend
The museum would not be the same without one of Belfast’s most famous residents - the 7th century BC Egyptian mummy, Takabuti. She was brought back to her new home inside the museum where she will be the centrepiece of a new display exploring life and death in ancient Egypt. As well as the major focus on Takabuti herself, visitors will learn more about the process of mummification, the gods worshipped by the ancient Egyptians and some of their customs and practices.
For details of exhibitions and events please visit the National Museums Northern Ireland website (above).
