The Ulster American Folk Park is an eco-museum in the town of Omagh in Northern Ireland. Entirely dedicated to the history of Irish emigration to the United States, this museum takes the form of an open-air park, with life-size reconstructions. A fun and instructive place to learn about Irish history.
Immerse yourself in the story of the brave Irish emigrants who crossed the Atlantic to America! The Ulster American Folk Park offers an immersive experience, recreating life during the 19th century, when the Irish, suffering from the Great Irish Famine (1845-1848), were forced to leave their homeland for the United States.
You can explore a series of 30 buildings: some period, others more recently reconstructed. Take a stroll down a lively street, entirely reconstructed in 19th-century style. There are extras in period costume, and the houses can be visited in their entirety!
The latter are furnished as they would have been in the 1800s: costumed animators pretend to live there, and don’t hesitate to interact with visitors, adding an appreciable touch of authenticity.
Push open the doors of the park’s ancient cottages, enter traditional farmhouses… Play the game and become part of family life in the thatched cottages, cook with park staff in the houses, take classes at the school, discover traditional crafts and taste traditional specialities!
You can also climb aboard a real emigrant ship. An opportunity to step into the shoes of the Irish fleeing Ireland. You can then discover the cramped quarters where hundreds of people crammed together during the twelve weeks of their Atlantic crossing.
The tour then concludes with a glimpse into the lives of emigrants once they arrived in the USA. We discover their ingenious ideas for starting life on the spot. Their relationship with their loved ones back in Ireland…
In short, the museum offers a complete overview of Irish emigration. The park is fascinating, and suitable for the whole family!
Don’t hesitate to visit the park at Christmas time. The park will immerse you in the enchantment of the festive season, with special activities. Christmas carols, cooking of traditional dishes, open-air museum and visit to a toy-making workshop…etc. A way to experience an Irish Christmas as it was lived in the 19th century!
It’s the perfect way to experience the magic of a delightfully retro and magical Christmas!