Days Out NI
Museum Newtownards

Somme Museum

A guided WW1 tour through reconstructed trenches and the story of Ireland's three volunteer divisions.

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Check hoursSeasonal. Broadly weekdays plus some Satu…
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5 hoursHow long
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Somme Museum — A guided WW1 tour through reconstructed trenches and the story of Ireland's three volunteer divisions.

  • Getting in: Ticketed. Entry is by guided tour only, running on the hour.
  • Opening: Seasonal. Broadly weekdays plus some Saturdays; reduced winter hours. Check current days before you go.
  • Family: Yes. Families and school groups welcome, with hands-on school sessions.
  • Tours: Guided tours roughly one hour, on the hour, last tour mid-afternoon.
  • Food: Cafe available to groups by arrangement; not always open for casual visitors.
  • Parking: Free on-site parking for about 30 cars plus coach and bus spaces.
Plan your visit

Walk the trenches with a guide

Tours run on the hour, with the last tour usually mid-afternoon, and last roughly an hour. Your guide takes you back to 1910 and the Home Rule crisis, through the recruiting and training of local volunteers, and into the reconstructed trenches modelled on the Somme front of 1916. You see the dugouts, the trench lines and the conditions the men lived and fought in. Changing exhibitions cover wider ground, from women's wartime work to D-Day voices.

Guided tour, about an hour Reconstructed WW1 trenches Ulster, Irish and 10th Divisions Family and school groups welcome Free on-site parking Fully wheelchair accessible
Good to know before you go:

The museum marks key WW1 and WW2 anniversaries and rotates temporary exhibitions through the year, with school programmes and group sessions on request. Days, tour times and special events vary by season, so check the museum's own channels before travelling.

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
Ticketed. Entry is by guided tour only, running on the hour.
Opening
Seasonal. Broadly weekdays plus some Saturdays; reduced winter hours. Check current days before you go.
Tours
Guided tours roughly one hour, on the hour, last tour mid-afternoon.
Age limits
None stated. Family-friendly and used by school groups.
Food
Cafe available to groups by arrangement; not always open for casual visitors.
Family-friendly
Yes. Families and school groups welcome, with hands-on school sessions.
Parking
Free on-site parking for about 30 cars plus coach and bus spaces.
Accessibility
Fully wheelchair accessible, with hearing loops and adjusted tours for visually impaired visitors.
How long to allow
Around 1 to 1.5 hours for the tour and exhibitions.
Address
233 Bangor Road, Newtownards, County Down, BT23 7PH
Questions

Before you go

How much is it to get in?
Ticketed. Entry is by guided tour only, running on the hour.
What are the opening times?
Seasonal. Broadly weekdays plus some Saturdays; reduced winter hours. Check current days before you go.
Is it good for kids?
Yes. Families and school groups welcome, with hands-on school sessions.
Are there guided tours?
Guided tours roughly one hour, on the hour, last tour mid-afternoon.
Is there parking?
Free on-site parking for about 30 cars plus coach and bus spaces.
Getting there

Somme Museum is at 233 Bangor Road, Newtownards, County Down, BT23 7PH. Free on-site parking for about 30 cars plus coach and bus spaces. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google Maps See it on our map
Nearby

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The story

About the Somme Museum

The Somme Association opened the site as the Somme Heritage Centre in 1994, funded through a mix of European money, local support and public fundraising. It was renamed the Somme Museum in 2014 and is a fully accredited museum dedicated to studying and interpreting Ireland's contribution to the First World War, with the Battle of the Somme at its centre.

Its focus is the cross-community story of three volunteer formations: the 36th (Ulster) Division, the 16th (Irish) Division and the 10th (Irish) Division. The collection has since broadened to cover the Second World War, D-Day, the Korean War and other conflicts, alongside war memorials rescued from closed local churches and halls.

Behind the displays sits a substantial oral-history archive of over 300 recorded interviews with veterans, home-front workers and survivors of both world wars and the Korean War, making it a research institution as well as a visitor attraction.