By 1929, the museum had moved to its current location in a purpose-constructed building, and its collections represented the history of Northern Ireland, covering such topics as natural history, Irish archeology, zoology, fashion/textiles, etc. Since the 1940’s, the museum has increased its art collections, with a focus on modern Irish artists, especially those that were Ulster based. In 1962, it was officially renamed “ The Ulster Museum” and was recognized as the National Museum of Northern Ireland.
With the “Game of Thrones” series being so popular, and so much of it having been filmed in Belfast and other locations in Northern Ireland, it seemed only fitting that the museum pay some homage to its popularity. Commissioned by Tourism Ireland and HBO, A 285 foot long tapestry was created, depicting scenes from the show. This remarkable piece of linen (Belfast, at one time, was the linen capital of the world) was designed by hand, weaved by state-of-the-art machinery, and hand finished by a cadre of 30 stitchers. The tapestry brings to life the Game of Thrones series from Winterfell to the Iron Islands.
Perhaps, one of the best features of this museum, at least for us, is that it is free admission.