Virtual Museum

Historic Photo: Quay Street, c1970s This historic photo of Lisburn was taken at Hancock Street, Co. Down, looking across to Quay Street.  Note the distinctive skyline of the cathedral and Assembly Room clocktower.  Castle Gardens is overgrown!

Historic Photo: Bridge Street, Lisburn What a wonderful view of Bridge Street from the Dan McWilliam’s collection.  Join the conversation on Facebook.

Drumbo Round Tower A familiar sight for anyone travelling through the village of Drumbo, south-east of Lisburn.  Drumbo round tower is located in the grounds of Drumbo Presbyterian Church, and built on the site of Medieval Parish Church and an earlier monastery.  The tower is over 35ft tall and was built in the Early Christian

Castle Robin is located on the Mullaghglass Rd, between Lisburn and Stoneyford.  Although little remains, the site is fascinating and contains remains of a three-story c.17th-century fortified house, likely built in c.1611 by Sir Robert Norton, and an Anglo-Norman motte & bailey.  The site commands an excellent view of the Lagan Valley & the Mournes.

Historic Photo: Island Spinning Mill, 1983 The Island Spinning Mill: a mill opened here in the 1840s, and produced linen thread for over 120 years, only ceasing production in the 1980s.   demolished, the sites is now home to Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council.  Photograph by John Press.

Castle Gardens Object: Sir George Rawdon Sir George Rawdon (1604-84) 1 Baronet Engraving by Robert White ILC&LM Collection   George Rawdon was employed by the Conway family as the estate manager and did much to develop Lisnagarvey (later Lisburn). At one time he lived at Lisburn Castle (in today’s Castle Gardens), before moving to Brookhill

Archive: Abbott Bros, Castle Gardens The Abbott brothers, James, Thomas and William, of 15 McKeown Street, photographed at the Crimean cannon in Castle Gardens in 1915. The three brothers were members of the South Antrim UVF who joined the 11th Battalion Royal Irish.  William was killed on 1 July 1916 at the Somme.

Archive: Egret Fountain, Castle Gardens How many times have you walked past the Egret Fountain in Castle Gardens?  There’s evidence of a fountain in the gardens of a similar design from the 1870s!

Archive: Castle Gardens, Crimean Cannon and Castle House in the Snow This fabulous view of Castle Gardens captures Castle House and the Crimean Cannon in the snow.  This cannon was captured at the Battle of Sebastopol. Admiral Henry Meynell (1789 – 1865), a former MP for Lisburn, presented it to the town in 1858.

Do you remember Castle Gardens before its fantastic restoration?  The Gardens would have afforded Lisburn’s landlords, the Conway Family, a magnificent view over the River Lagan and surrounding area. Let us know!  

Do you remember this exhibition: Market Square Through Time, c.2015?  It was one of our most popular displays!  The photograph above is from the Lawrence Collection. Let us know!

Do you remember this exhibition: Lisburn: Life in the County Down, 1997? Let us know!

Do you remember  The Huguenots & Ulster 1685-1985 exhibition?  Let us know!  The exhibition and catalogue explored the Huguenot’s rich contribution to life in Ulster.

Do you remember our blockbuster exhibition Tutankhamun’s Wardrobe from 2001?  If so, let us know.  Share your thoughts with us on our social media channels, or by email. The Irish Times covered the exhibition in 2001 and wrote: His death mask may be instantly recognisable, but a new exhibition in Lisburn’s Irish Linen Centre gets

This iconic photograph, by John Press, looks across to Piper’s Hill (Market Lane) from Hill Street.  Note the abandoned remains of Coulson’s Damask Manufactory.

Historic Photo: Chittick’s and Green’s, Bow Street Greens and Chittick’s shops on Bow Street, c.1990s,  Chittick’s opened in 1931, selling a range of fashions.  It closed in 2006.  Greens have been trading in Lisburn since the 1890s.

The Victorian era witnessed a dramatic change in fashion and dress.  Key silhouettes of the time included large bell-shaped skirts, low-pointed structured waistlines and sloping shoulders.  It also saw the introduction of new necklines for evening dresses. Linen was a popular choice of textile for garments and table decor during the Victorian period. Used for

What was your favourite childhood toy? We all had a favourite toy growing up, whether it was a doll or a football that was played with until it was ragged! Long after children have grown up, toys are powerful symbols and objects of childhood and are a way of bringing back old memories. We have

Art: was the world’s greatest art collection originally given to Lisburn…but the offer refused? In 1897, on the death of Lady Wallace, her magnificent art collection – the result of almost 150 years of collecting by the Hertfords and their descendants – was bequeathed to the nation.  The collection went on display in 1900 at

 Painting: Vietnamese Family by Cherith McKinstry H.R.U.A. (1928-2004) Purchased by the Museum is 2011, the oil on canvas by local artist Cherith McKinstry and was a response to the plight of the people of Vietnam in the 1970s, during the Vietnam War. About Cherith McKinstry Born in Powick, Worcestershire, Cherith McKinstry attended Belfast College

Painting: Stannus Place, Lisburn by Dennis H Osborne Gifted to the museum in 1991, this oil on canvas by Dennis Osborne features Stannus Place, a gorgeous three-storey Georgian terrace (c.1750) on Hancock Street, opposite the Island Mill.  The terrace was demolished in the 1970s.  Do you remember it?  If so, let us know! About the

Built Heritage: Hilden School The former Hilden Primary School building dates from 1913 and was designed by William John Fennell who was responsible for the Water Commissioner’s Office, Royal Avenue, Belfast. Hilden National School was established by the Barbour family and allowed children at the nearby mill – many who worked half time – to

Photo: Go-As-You-Please Run, Lisburn, 1907 The Great Go-As-You-Please Race, comprising 26 miles from Belfast to Lugan took place on a rainy day in June 1907.  The 461 competitors, all from amateur athletic clubs, took off from Belfast and ran via Balmoral, Lisburn, Hillsborough, Dromore, Waringston and then Lurgan.  There was a six-hour cut off, and

Do you have remember completeing do jigsaw puzzles when you were young? During the Covid-19 pandemic many have found it calming to complete jigsaw puzzles to unplug from social media. It can be hard to find a new jigsaw, or even the space to do it…but never fear! Lisburn Museum has created some online jigsaw

Who loves colouring in? At the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum we do! Colouring can be very theraputic, grab some coloured pencils and give it a go!

Fashion Through the Ages: Our Google Cultural Institute Exhibition Do you want to delve into our fashion collection?  Click the link below and explore ‘Fashion through the Ages: Irish Linen’.  You can view hand-embroidered linen, rich silk, beautiful damask woven in Lisburn or watch our Jacquard looms at work!  The exhibition uses Google’s state-of-the-art technology,

The Covid-19 Panedemic has brought into sharp focus the role our essential and emergency workers play in keeping us all safe.  Isn’t is important that Museums collect objects, stories and history relating to these services?  In part, that’s why we have launched our ‘Covid-19 and Me’ project. In 1996 the museum added this 1938 Denis

Museum Staff regularly run WWII workshops.  Students learn how people in Northern Ireland had to adapt during WWII using artefacts from the Museums collection, topics include rationing, living in a blackout and evacuation. The workshops often take place in our very own air raid shelter (the last remaining in Lisburn) in Castle Gardens. One of

The Lisburn Gas Company Limited was formed in the late 1830s to produce gas for domestic and commercial use in the town.  The gasworks was located beside the Lagan, although the gas office was on Bridge Street.  The Urban District Council crest, which can be seen above the top middle window, is currently in the

Local History: how did Chrome Hill, Lambeg, get its name? The scientific connection! The magnificent Chrome Hill, Lambeg, overlooks Wolfenden’s Bridge, and was formerly known as Harmony Hill or Lambeg House. The property is an original 17th-century home, with 18th and 19th-century additions. One important resident of the house was the Manchester businessman Richard Niven

Museum Staff regularly run Ancient Egyptian workshops.  Students learn about life in Ancient Egypt and why the Irish Linen Centre has a special artifact from the Tomb of Tutankhamen.  The Ancient Egyptians wrote with an alphapbet called hieroglyphs. When they wrote a name they made an oval name plate known as a cartouche. You can

Private Alec Martin (b.1895) was born in Magheragall and emigrated to New Zealand in 1913. When war broke in August 1914 Alec enlisted in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force and after training in Egypt, where he visited the pyramids (above, second right), he travelled to the Dardanelles. He fought and died there in April 1915

Scavenger hunts are fun indoors! Lisburn Museum and Flaxie have created a simple scavenger hunt you can try at home. There is even a blank template for you to create a hunt of your own.

This delightful Edwardian scene shows the bowling green in Castle Gardens, with the magnificant Wallace Monument (erected 1892) in the background beside the Crimean Cannon, captured at Sebastopol.  At one stage the Park also had a German Howitzer from WWI, but it was neglected and scrapped.