Description
Are you searching for an engaging historical adventure to enjoy with your children? Located at the state-of-the-art Peace Campus on Plantation Road in Monaghan Town, this site ranks among the best things to do with kids in Monaghan. Operating as a fully accessible, ultra-modern museum, it connects families with interactive displays, rare archaeological treasures, and 50,000 fascinating artefacts that bring local history to life.
Planning your budget for this educational trip is entirely stress-free. Admission to the museum is completely free of charge for all visitors, making it an exceptionally low-cost choice for families. If you drive, the on-site underground car park requires a few Euro coins, but the exhibits themselves will not cost you a penny.
If you are looking for the best place for a day out with family and kids that blends history with sensory fun, this interactive attraction is a brilliant choice. It transforms a standard school history lesson into an exciting detective game by letting children scan interactive QR codes and touch specialized sensory walls. It is a fantastic setting to explore together, giving toddlers a visually stimulating environment while challenging older kids to think about the world around them.
Features
- Free
- Host birthday parties: No
Features
What makes this museum unique?
- Sensory Play and Walls: The galleries feature textured sensory walls and fully accessible display cases designed for hands-on engagement.
- Interactive Exhibits: Visitors can scan digital QR codes to listen to audio stories told in multiple languages.
- Educational Day Out: The exhibits guide children through history from the end of the last Ice Age up to modern times.
- Inclusive Accessibility: Designed in partnership with major disability organizations, the building features universal access, flat surfaces, and lifts.
Detailed Highlights
- The Bordering Realities Gallery: A highly interactive space where kids can stand on physical lines drawn across the floor. It encourages families to think about cultural and geographic borders through fun, visual prompts.
- The Celebrity Video Booths: A digital viewing zone where children can watch exclusive interviews with famous local faces. Famous stars like Caitriona Balfe, Barry McGuigan, Ardal O'Hanlon, and Tommy Bowe candidly share their memories of growing up here.
- The Sensory Wall Trails: A custom-designed pathway featuring unique 3D optical patterns and tactile wall sections. It allows younger children to physically feel the history rather than just looking through glass cases.
- The Ulster Scots Identity Space: A dedicated area developed with cross-border partners to showcase music, language, and cultural traditions. Children love seeing how old folklore connects Ireland, Scotland, and America.
- The Peace Campus Library: Situated right inside the same building complex, this bright town library features a dedicated children's reading room. It is the perfect quiet spot to relax with a storybook after completing your museum tour.
Detailed Collections & Sub-Exhibits
- The Cross of Clogher: A 500-year-old masterpiece of medieval Irish metalwork and art.
- The Tydavnet Gold Sundiscs: Intricate, beaten-gold discs discovered by accident tangled in the roots of an old oak tree.
- The Altartate Cauldron: A large, ancient bowl carved from a single piece of wood with rare, moving yew handles.
- The Rossmore Castle Door: The massive, fully restored wooden door saved from one of the county's grandest lost estates.
- Tommy Bowe’s Signed Rugby Shirts: Real Irish international match jerseys donated by the local rugby star.
- Alicia Jones's 1814 Needlework Sampler: A 200-year-old school embroidery piece featuring delicate black cross-stitches, trees, and crowns.
- The King William III Fire Screen: A rare linen-stitched historic protective fireplace screen.
- The Great Northern Railway Flags: Brightly coloured flags used like traffic lights to test train drivers for colour blindness.
23.49 miles
