Podcast: William Sharman and the Volunteers in Lisburn and the Lagan Valley with Professor Peter Gray
This episode features Professor Peter Gray of Queen’s University Belfast. Peter’s work examines the political culture of the Irish Volunteer …
Podcast: The Big Houses of Northern Ireland, with J.A.K. Dean
This episode features architectural historian, J.A.K. Dean on the plight of an endangered species, The Big Houses of Northern Ireland. …
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Podcast: The Regimental Museums of Northern Ireland with Dr Laura Patrick
Regimental Heritage officer, Dr Laura Patrick joined us to discuss her work in the Regimental Museums in Northern Ireland. Laura …
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Podcast: ‘Who do we think we are?’: Issues of Identity and belonging in Northern Ireland.
In this episode we welcomed Linda Ervine, Lisa Rea Currie and Carmel Duggan to the Lisburn Museum to talk about …
Podcast: The assassination of Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson MP, with Ronan McGreevy
Irish Times journalist Ronan McGreevy joined our Research Officer Dr Barry Sheppard to talk about his book, Great Hatred: The Assassination of Field …
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The Egyptian Book of the Dead
You may have heard of the ominous sounding Egyptian ‘Book of the Dead’, but do you know what it actually …
Frederick Douglass and Lisburn
In late July 2023 a statue of the famous 19th-century social reformer and abolitionist, Frederick Douglass was unveiled in Lombard …
Ireland’s Egyptologist, Rev. Edward Hincks
Did you know that a County Down-based Church of Ireland clergyman had a significant role in our understanding of hieroglyphs? …
Drawing in ancient Egypt
Rectangular drawing and writing boards were important educational tools in ancient Egypt. Made from wood and covered with a thin …
Linen from the tomb of Tutankhamun
Did you know that your local museum has a sample of Tutankhamun’s linen on display? Do you know how it …
Remembering loved ones in ancient Egypt
Worshiping the dead was an important feature of ancient Egyptian society. While pyramids and elaborately decorated tombs were prominent memorials …
An adventuring Lisburn MP, Sir James Emerson Tennent
Author, traveller, and one-time MP for Lisburn, Sir James Emerson Tennent (1804–69) was a prominent early member of the Belfast …
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‘Ancient Egypt: Lisburn Stories’: Private Alec Martin at the Pyramids, 1915
Private Alec Martin (1895-1915) was born in Magheragall, near Lisburn. In 1913, seeking new opportunities he emigrated to New Zealand. …
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The Rosetta Stone
One of the most significant archaeological discoveries of modern times was made on July 15, 1799. What is known as …
The Lisburn Cotton Famine and Moby Dick.
What connects today’s Virtual Museum item, a gold watch, and the classic novel Moby Dick? During the devastating ‘cotton famine’ …
Shabti Dolls
Do you know what a Shabti doll is? Would you like to know how three of them ended up in …
Luxor Temple – Egypt
This photograph of Ramses II’s statue at the Luxor Temple was taken by Lisburn-born soldier, Major William Sinclair Corken MBE. …
Limestone Lintel of Ramses III
Today’s Virtual Museum post features one of the standout artefacts from the British Museum’s touring exhibition ‘Egyptian hieroglyphs: unlock the …
Classic cars on Bridge Street!
This week’s Virtual Museum post is a walk down Bridge Street, featuring some classic cars of the era. Can you …
A more elegant way to travel!
This week’s Virtual Museum post is a snapshot from our photographic collection. A family heading off on an outing at …
‘Putting milk into babies’: The Welfare Foods Scheme
Our Virtual Museum post this week is a photograph from our collection, dated June 1951. Pictured at the Child Welfare …
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Robert Stewart Mill Workers 1938
The Virtual Museum post for this week is a 1938 photograph of employees at the Robert Stewart & Sons thread …
Lisburn Girl Guides
This week’s Virtual Museum post is another photograph drawn from our extensive collection. Dated 1939, it features a group of …
The Coronation of George VI in Lisburn: a ‘Very Happy Day Spent’
With preparations for King Charles III’s Coronation celebrations underway, our Virtual Museum post this week looks at a previous Coronation …
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The Unveiling of Lisburn’s War Memorial, 28th April 1923
The 28th April 2023 marks the centenary of the unveiling of Lisburn’s War Memorial at Castle Gardens. This week’s Virtual …
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The Plight of the Big House with JAK Dean
The fifth talk in our 2023 Winter Talks Series features J.A.K. Dean on the plight of an endangered species, The …
‘Who do we think we are?’: Issues of Identity and belonging.
This panel discussion, part of our 2023 Winter Talks Series, discusses lesser-explored identities in Northern Ireland. Panellists Lisa Rea Currie, …
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‘Lisburn and the assassination of Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson MP’ with Ronan McGreevy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh39e8NMJ1c The second talk in our 2023 Winter Talks Series features Ronan McGreevy. This talk examines Field Marshal Sir Henry …
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Lisburn’s Hugh McCall (1805-1897)
Journalist, historian and author, Hugh McCall was born on the 21st April 1805 in Chapel Hill, Lisburn. He was the …
Remembering the Great Fire of Lisburn, 20th April 1707
This week’s Virtual Museum post features an important artefact from the town’s rich history. Located at the entrance of the …
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The old Lisburn court house
This week’s Virtual Museum post is another drawn from our photographic collection. It captures the demolition of the old Lisburn …
Hinds Bros. of Bow Street
This week’s Virtual Museum post is another item drawn from our photographic collection. Taken in the early 1900s, it features …
Sloan Street Presbyterian Church
Our Virtual Museum post for this week is a photograph drawn from our photographic collection of the men who built …
‘What Happened to Christian Ireland?’ with Prof Crawford Gribben
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7zA8dUZpIw The first talk in our 2023 Winter Talks Series features Professor Crawford Gribben of Queen’s University Belfast. Professor Gribben …
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‘All aboard!’ Hillsborough Train Station.
This week’s Virtual Museum post is a scene which has sadly disappeared from our countryside, the rural railway station. Drawn …
Lisburn Shopping Week 1930
This week’s Virtual Museum post delves into our photographic collection to look at a 1930 initiative by the Lisburn Chamber …
Hilden and New Jersey
Did you know that the village of Hilden has strong historical connections with with the city of Paterson, New Jersey? …
‘Should have gone to Radio Rentals’.
Radio Rentals, once a feature of highstreets across the UK was the first company to offer domestic entertainment equipment rentals. …
Holocaust Memorial Day: Objects from the museum’s collection
Today, 27th January, is Holocaust Memorial Day. First marked in the UK in 2001, Holocaust Memorial Day allows people to …
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The Spinning Room, Wm Barbour & Sons LTD, 1938
This week’s Virtual Museum item is a 1938 photograph of the No. 3 Spinning Room staff at Wm. Barbour & …
On this day in 1690 the Duke of Schomberg forbade what in Lisburn?
Frederick Hermann, the 1st Duke of Schomberg was King William’s principal general in Ireland between 1689 and up until his …
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‘To Absent Friends’ – Lisburn at Christmas during World War One.
Christmas is a time when separation from loved ones is most keenly felt. The separation from one’s family in times …
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A Glimpse Into Seventeenth Century Lisburn
This week’s Virtual Museum post focuses on an item in the museum’s collection which was discovered in nearby Castle Gardens. …
‘One of the most representative institutions in the town’ – The Lisburn News Room
At this time of the year, during the pre-Christmas rush everyone is busy, not least the shopkeepers and traders of …
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‘The business life of the community’ – Lisburn Market
Our latest Virtual Museum post is a snapshot of what is undoubtedly Lisburn’s oldest tradition, market day. This striking photograph, …
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‘A Distinguished Ulsterman’ – St Clair Mulholland: the American Civil War Colonel from Lisburn
Bridge Street has been one of Lisburn’s most important areas going right back to its earliest times. The street’s close …
A Grand Challenge Match for the Lisburn Air Raid Distress Fund 1941
Today’s Virtual Museum post focuses upon a fascinating item from World War Two. A poster advertising a local charity football …
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Flax Improvement Society Medals 1845 and 1846
As the Irish linen industry grew at the turn of the eighteenth century, linen merchants felt that a governing body …
Tutankhamun, Howard Carter, and Lisburn Museum.
This past week marked 100 years since the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb near Luxor, Egypt, an event which made headlines …
Harry Ferguson and His Monoplane at Hillsborough, 1909
Today’s Virtual Museum post pays tribute to inventor Harry Ferguson, who was born on this day (4th November) 1884 just …
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‘Long may those old and innocent customs be perpetuated in our province’ – Halloween in Lisburn Past
Halloween is with us once again. In shop windows costumes, props, sweets and nuts have been displayed for weeks now. …
‘One of the most honoured members of the community’ – John Millar and the Lisburn Gas Company.
As present day energy costs are never far from the news headlines, this week’s Virtual Museum blog post looks back …
‘Without parallel in the Kingdom’ – The Hillsborough Wedding Reception of the Earl of Hillsborough and Caroline Frances Stapleton Cotton
In a previous Virtual Museum post we looked at the 1837 wedding of Arthur Wills Hill and Caroline Frances Stapleton …
Video: Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and Her Visits to Lisburn
The passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September 2022 was met with sadness in Lisburn. The Museum …
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Twenty one years of the Egan Harp at the Lisburn Museum
Harp making has a long history on the island of Ireland, going back over a thousand years. A specialist craft …
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‘Nowhere in the British Isles was the tragic passing of His Majesty received with greater sorrow’ – Lisburn and the Death of George VI.
Over the past twelve days the world has been captivated by the news of the death of Her Majesty, Queen …
‘Lisburn to the Front’ – The Lisburn Wheelers Cycling Club
In the late nineteenth century cycling became a popular pastime across many parts of the world. Initially a quite expensive …
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Marriage of ‘the Big Marquis’ – the 1837 wedding of the Earl of Hillsborough and Caroline Frances Stapleton Cotton
Hillsborough Castle, the famous eighteenth century Georgian mansion, which is today the official residence in Northern Ireland of Queen Elizabeth …