Cork Public Museum

Cork Public Museum is housed in a Georgian building in Fitzgerald Park, surrounded by 18 acres of landscaped gardens that overlook the River Lee. The interior displays collections about the city's past, its port, and archaeological discoveries from the wider region.

The building was constructed in 1845 by the Beamish brewing family and later hosted the Cork International Exhibition in the early 1900s. It then became a public museum to preserve and share the city's history with visitors.

The museum displays Bronze Age mining tools, Iron Age helmets, and medieval wall artifacts that show how different peoples lived in Cork over thousands of years. These objects reflect the everyday lives and skills of ancient inhabitants.

Visiting works best in the morning or early afternoon, as the collections are spread across multiple rooms and deserve time to explore. The surrounding gardens and riverside path invite you to walk around before or after going inside.

The museum holds official county museum status from the National Museum of Ireland, which allows it to keep original artifacts in Cork rather than send them to Dublin. This means rare objects stay in their home region for visitors to discover.

Location: County Cork

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible

Opening Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10:00-16:00; Saturday 11:00-16:00, May-September Sunday 14:00-16:00

Phone: +353214270679

Email: museum@corkcity.ie

GPS coordinates: 51.89638,-8.49460

Latest update: December 11, 2025 18:03