Collections

Our Collections have been donated by local people and those with associations with the area. It is their generosity that has helped create these Museums and shaped the content of our Collections, which give a tremendous sense of place to all those who visit. 

The Down County Museum collection takes the visitor through the history of County Down from pre-history up to modern times. Loans from institutions such as the British Museum, National Museum of Ireland, and the Ulster Museum help to interpret the areas rich history. 

The collection includes important collections of social history material, farming, and a significant costume collection. The Museum also houses an extensive photographic archive, from local photographers such as DJ McNeill, Pat Hudson, Thomas Gribben and Cecil Newman. These images help document the lives and landscape of the local area. Acquired over the last forty years, the Museum has an excellent and representative collection of fine and applied art relating to County Down. 

Other major acquisitions include the Patsy Mullen collection of 627 items relating to the social history of the town of Castlewellan, a medical collection relating to the Downe Hospital and a collection of Second World War material from the former Urban District Council.  

Newry and Mourne Museum’s Collection has important archival collections relating to the local area, in particular the Reside Collection which contains rare material highly valuable to the study of local history and genealogy. There is also an extensive performing arts collection.  

Items of special interest include prehistoric and early modern pottery from archaeological excavations on the outskirts of Newry, medieval sculpture from the Cistercian Abbey at Newry, a rare longcase clock made in Newry c.1780, glass decanters and drinking glasses made in Newry in the early 19th century and important pieces of costume notably a set of Order of St. Patrick Robes owned by the 3rd Earl of Kilmorey and an Irish National Foresters uniform. 

Our diverse collections interpret and shed light on the area’s fascinating history, heritage, and culture. extensive