Ulster American Folk Museum - National Museums NI

The Ulster American Folk Park is part of National Museums Northern Ireland.

It holds over 30 exhibit buildings and tells the story of three centuries of Irish emigration. Using costumed guides and displays of traditional crafts, the museum focuses on those who left Ulster for America in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.

Within the museum there are many restored, original buildings with connections to local families. The park was developed around the Mellon House, the birthplace of Irish-American banker and lawyer Thomas Mellon, founding father of the Mellon banking dynasty. This house and its outbuildings remain in their original location. Visitors can taste samples of traditional Irish and pioneer American foods including freshly baked soda bread and pumpkin pie all made on the hearths and griddles of the exhibit buildings. The museum also includes agricultural displays and an array of farm animals.

The indoor exhibition at the Ulster American Folk Park examines life in Ulster in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. It reveals the reasons behind the exodus and wave of emigration and shows how the settlers adapted to and impacted on, a new
and unfamiliar environment in the New World of America. The temporary gallery space also has changing exhibitions showcasing the collections to further tell the fascinating story of emigration from this part of the world.