Days Out NI
Museum Lisburn

Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum

Free award-winning museum on Ireland's linen story, with live weaving and spinning.

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OpenMonday to Saturday, 9.30am to 5pm; check…
FreeAdmission
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5 hoursHow long
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Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum — Free award-winning museum on Ireland's linen story, with live weaving and spinning.

  • Getting in: Free admission, donations welcome.
  • Opening: Monday to Saturday, 9.30am to 5pm; check before public holidays.
  • Family: Yes, all ages with adult supervision; baby-changing on site.
  • Tours: Free guided tours of the galleries, town and Castle Gardens; free spinning and weaving workshops.
  • Food: On-site linen shop; cafés and restaurants in the town nearby.
  • Parking: Free nearby at Island Civic Centre and Lagan Valley Leisureplex; disabled spaces beside the building.
Plan your visit

See linen made by hand

The 'Flax to Fabric: the Story of Irish Linen' exhibition has won awards for the way it tells Ulster's industrial heritage, and panels are available in French, German and Italian. Guides run live spinning and hand-loom weaving demonstrations, so you watch flax become cloth rather than just reading about it. The collection holds fine seventeenth-century damask and work by world-renowned makers, plus a costume gallery with christening robes and embroidered stockings made for Queen Victoria. Rotating exhibitions about Lisburn's history fill the historic Market House upstairs.

Free entry Live weaving & spinning Free guided tours Family-friendly Historic Market House Linen shop
Good to know before you go:

The museum runs a regular programme of temporary exhibitions, talks, family activities and free workshops alongside its permanent galleries. Check the What's On page before you visit, as guided tours and demonstrations vary by day and season.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 📷Camera or phoneMost galleries are photo-friendly — just check for any no-photos rooms.
  • 👟Comfy shoesPlenty to take in on foot, room to room.
  • 💷A few poundsFor the café, the shop, or a donation where entry is free.
  • 🕰️A bit of timeThe stories reward a slow look rather than a dash round.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Getting in
Free admission, donations welcome
Opening
Monday to Saturday, 9.30am to 5pm; check before public holidays
Tours
Free guided tours of the galleries, town and Castle Gardens; free spinning and weaving workshops
Age limits
None; children of all ages welcome with an adult
Food
On-site linen shop; cafés and restaurants in the town nearby
Family-friendly
Yes, all ages with adult supervision; baby-changing on site
Parking
Free nearby at Island Civic Centre and Lagan Valley Leisureplex; disabled spaces beside the building
Accessibility
Full disabled access, accessible toilets, induction loop, Braille guides, guide dogs welcome
How long to allow
About 1 to 1.5 hours
Address
Market Square, Lisburn, BT28 1AG
Questions

Before you go

How much is it to get in?
Free admission, donations welcome
What are the opening times?
Monday to Saturday, 9.30am to 5pm; check before public holidays
Is it good for kids?
Yes, all ages with adult supervision; baby-changing on site
Are there guided tours?
Free guided tours of the galleries, town and Castle Gardens; free spinning and weaving workshops
Is there parking?
Free nearby at Island Civic Centre and Lagan Valley Leisureplex; disabled spaces beside the building
Getting there

Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum is at Market Square, Lisburn, BT28 1AG. Free nearby at Island Civic Centre and Lagan Valley Leisureplex; disabled spaces beside the building. Tap below for directions.

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Nearby

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The story

About the Irish Linen Centre

The Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum is housed in Lisburn's Market House on Market Square, a building dating from the 17th century at the heart of the town. The museum tells the story of the Irish linen industry and the wider Lagan Valley, the area where linen production grew into a defining trade for the region.

Linen took root here in part through Huguenot settlers, French Protestants who brought weaving skill to the Lisburn area. The museum's award-winning 'Flax to Fabric' exhibition and its live spinning and weaving demonstrations keep that craft heritage alive, and its collections include damask, costume and textiles of national importance.