Admission to the Ulster Museum is free and you are not required to book tickets. For any special events where tickets are required, this will be stated in the event page.
Groups of 15 people or more, schools and non-formal education groups (like Summer schemes, Sunday Schools and youth clubs) are required to pre-book. Please go to the dedicated pages below, depending on your group:
Yes, we take bookings for groups of 15 or more. If you go to our dedicated group bookings page, you will get everything you need to know and ways to book.
Yes, children aged 12 to 16 are allowed to visit the museum unaccompanied. Adhering to our Visitor Regulations, all children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult while visiting the museum.
Opening hours can be found at the bottom of our webpage. It's usually always 10:00 to 17:00, Tuesday to Sunday. We're closed on Mondays, except for NI public and bank holidays. We do not have seasonal opening hours.
Translink train and bus routes will get you to the Ulster Museum, with the closest stops no more than a 10-minute walk to the museum. We have a dedicated page on 'getting here' - click here.
There are no specific time slots, but we recommend visiting in the morning between 10.00 and 11.00 when our museum and café are usually a little quieter.
We are constantly working to make our space accessible to all, and the majority of our building is suitable for wheelchair users. However, there are a few areas that are inaccessible. Our visitor services staff will be there to guide you to our accessible routes.
We have push wheelchairs available for anyone who may require one and two battery-operated wheelchairs to aid those who need assistance. Please speak to reception if you are in need of a wheelchair and please be aware that they require a second user to operate.
Some of our galleries are fitted with stair lifts. These can only be operated by staff – please speak to a visitor guide to use. Many of our galleries have ramped access, check descriptions in the map or ask our team to identify the best route. The Deep Time gallery is not suitable for wheelchairs or buggies.
There are also four accessible parking spaces at the Stranmillis Road side of the building.
Service dogs are allowed in the museum and must remain on a lead at all times.
There is no time limit to your visit. Once you start exploring you’re free to enjoy all that the Museum has to offer at your leisure. A full visit to the Museum can take from 1 to 3 hours, however our recommended routes have regular ‘drop off’ points which lead to the exit if you do not wish to visit all galleries. We have a ‘fast-track’ system to our art galleries if you’re visiting to see a particular temporary exhibition, and staff will be on hand to help direct.
Yes. All of our Discovery Centres are now open, however there may be occasions due to exhibition changeovers or pre-booked educational groups where the Discovery Centres have to close or relocate within the Museum. Please ask one of our welcome guides on arrival for more information.
No. There is a bike dock outside the building where you can lock up bikes while visiting.
Yes. There are lockers for visitors on the ground floor of the museum. Please note that there is a non-refundable £1 charge for use.
Yes, we have public toilets available throughout the museum, which are managed and cleaned on a regular basis. Please ensure you follow the guidance we have put in place for everyone’s safety and comfort when using our toilets. We are asking visitors to keep a safe distance and to keep in mind that several disabilities are hidden when it comes to using adapted toilets.
We have a DDA Gender Neutral WC located next to our Café area, and a Baby Changing area located just off the main atrium.
The Period Products (Free Provision) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 is legislation introduced on September 1, 2025, that makes period products free and available to all people who need them while in Northern Ireland.
In line with our responsibilities as a public service, we are committed to ensuring that period products are available free of charge in our toilets from this date.
If you have any questions about this provision, or if you experience any difficulties accessing period products at the museum, please speak to a member of Visitor Services on site.
Yes. Our Wynne & Pym café is open during museum hours serving a selection of hot and cold food and refreshments. When you arrive, place your order at the counter and then take a seat, staff will deliver your order to your table. Contactless payment is advised where possible. There’s also the option to bring a picnic to eat outdoors in Botanic Gardens.
Our gift shop is located on the ground floor beside the front entrance to the museum. We have a wide range of stock including books, souvenirs, sweet treats, local crafts and more! Every purchase supports the work of National Museums NI.
Unfortunately we are unable to allow visitors to try on personal items such as earrings, but you can get a full refund on all items (excluding earrings, unless faulty, and food) up to 60 days on presentation of receipt and all returned sale items will be held off sale for 5 days.
While contactless payment is advised, we also accept cash payments in GBP Sterling. We also accept Euro notes and American Dollar notes at a competitive exchange rate. Change will be given in Sterling.
