President Arthur Homestead
Description
Are you trying to discover the best things to do with kids in County Antrim? President Arthur Homestead is a spectacular historical cottage and indoor-outdoor heritage activity category where families can step back into the nineteenth century, explore ancestral roots, and discover rural Irish history. Located just outside the village of Cullybackey, this ancestral site brings American presidential connections and traditional farm life directly to life for young explorers.
Prices start from £0.00 as visiting this remarkable Council-managed heritage site is completely free for everyone. Families can walk around the restored buildings, view the vintage interiors, and explore the small grounds without paying an entry ticket.
If you are looking for the best place for a day out with family and kids that pairs historical learning with an atmospheric setting, this rural cottage is an excellent option. It provides youngsters with an active, educational day out where they can see how families lived in the 1800s, touch traditional materials, and discover local ties to global events.
Features
- Free
- Host birthday parties: No
Features
Key Features
- Educational Day Out: Children can learn about nineteenth-century emigration, the lifestyle of traditional Ulster-Scots farming families, and transatlantic political history.
- Interactive Exhibits: The cottage functions as a living history classroom where kids can view authentic period furniture and see historic cooking hearths up close.
- Sensory Play Elements: Smelling the old stone walls, touching rough whitewashed surfaces, and hearing the local winds sweep over the surrounding fields offers rich sensory engagement.
Detailed Highlights
- The Restored Cottage Interior: The heart of the homestead where the family of the 21st US President once lived. Children will love peering into the small rooms to see where a large household managed daily life in close quarters.
- The Traditional Open Hearth: A grand stone fireplace that served as the home's heating and cooking centre. Kids can see exactly how pots were hung over flames and imagine life before modern kitchens.
- The Vintage Flagstone Flooring: Authentic stone floors that have survived for centuries inside the property. Youngsters can walk along the uneven slabs and feel how different it is from modern carpet or wood.
- The Thatch-Style Roofing Details: The meticulously preserved roof covering that demonstrates traditional Irish construction techniques. Children can look closely to see how natural straw was woven to protect a home from heavy rains.
- The Emigration Story Displays: Information panels tracking the long ocean voyage made by families crossing the Atlantic to America. Teens can follow the timeline to understand why so many locals built new lives across the sea.
Specific Named Objects & Features
- The Arthur Family Main Living Space
- The Historic Stone Open Hearth Fireplace
- The Authentic Period Wooden Settles
- The Thatched Roof Eaves and Structure
- The Historical Emigration Information Panels
- The Exterior Whitewashed Stone Walls
Facilities
- Toilets & Changing: Public toilets are accessible near the main site complex, though facilities are basic due to the rural nature of the site.
- Buggy Parking: There is no dedicated pram storage inside the historic property, and tight doorways make strollers tricky to push between rooms.
- Food Options: No commercial cafes exist at the homestead, so bringing your own water bottles and packed lunches is smart.
What to see
What Visitors Love
- The quiet, authentic setting feels like a genuine step back in time without commercial gimmicks.
- It is entirely free to view, providing an exceptional budget-friendly stop during a family day out.
- The staff are highly knowledgeable and love sharing stories about the American presidential connection.
- It provides a fantastic talking point to help older children learn about their own family trees.
What Visitors Don't Like
- The site is quite small, so most families will finish exploring the property within an hour.
- There is no playground on-site, meaning restless kids will need to move to a park afterward to run off energy.
Pro-Tips
- Check the Opening Seasons: The cottage occasionally operates on seasonal schedules or by special appointment, so phone the Mid and East Antrim visitor board before heading out.
- Combine with a Train Ride: Since Cullybackey has its own train link, taking a short train trip makes the entire journey feel like a much bigger adventure for small children.
- Bring a Sketchbook: The simple, old-world style of the cottage is a brilliant inspiration for school history projects or creative drawing sessions.
Price
Price: Free
Birthday Parties
Offer Birthday Parties: No
Open Wednesday through Sunday, 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
Address: 21a Dreen Rd, Ballymena BT42 1EB, United Kingdom
Post Code: BT42 1EB
Council: Mid and East Antrim
County: County Antrim
- By Car: Drive along the A26 towards Ballymena, then take the Cullybackey Road directly to the homestead site.
- By Train: Take the regular Translink NI service to Cullybackey Station, followed by a short local walk or taxi to the cottage.
- Parking: A dedicated parking area is situated on-site, offering free parking spaces directly next to the cottage entrance.
Rating breakdown
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