Exhibitions

Early Medieval Ireland and the Kingdom of Latharna

Saturday 12th September – Friday 13th November 2026

Many people are aware of the Viking burial from Larne, but did you know that there are a huge number of Gaelic settlements in the Larne area dating to this period?

This exhibition explores early medieval Ireland, with reference to the Larne area, looking at the nature of society at this time and the archaeological evidence that survives.  This was the period marked by our first historical records, the arrival of Christianity, the Vikings, and the development of Ireland’s first towns.

The exhibition will feature artefacts excavated at Antiville in 1957, which are now permanently returning to Larne Museum & Arts Centre’s collections.

The exhibition will be on display from Saturday 12th September until Friday 13th November 2026 and includes Saturday opening on 10th October and 7th November. 

MV Princess Victoria 74th Anniversary Exhibition

Friday 15th - Saturday 30th January 2027

An exhibition commemorating the 74th anniversary of the MV Princess Victoria disaster in 1953. 

Telling the story of the ship and the events of that day, the exhibition will include letters of sympathy sent to the family of James Arthur Morrow of Carnalbanagh, who was lost in the disaster, and a policeman's notebook which records details of bodies retrieved following the sinking of the MV Princess Victoria.

The exhibition will be on display from Friday 15th until Saturday 30th January 2027.  Includes Saturday opening on 30th January only. Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 10.00am - 4.00pm.

Larne’s Ulster American Heritage Trail officially launched on Saturday 13th June. 

This interactive online StoryMap allows you to explore some of the notable places in Larne that connect our community with the United States – from the vessels that first left our shores taking emigrants to a new life, to the remarkable stories of some of those people who went to the New World. 

The main trail follows 34 points on the map, in both Larne and the United States, recounting the interesting stories that link the two areas. 

At the end of the trail, or by clicking on the ‘Continue Exploring’ button, you will find 9 separate StoryMaps, that look at the individual stories of some local people and their families. 

Clicking on the ‘Emigration Letters’ button allows you to follow a story of 19th century emigration as told through letters held in the museum’s collection.  These letters give an insight into how economic despair at home and the promise of opportunity in America led people to risk the dangers of crossing the Atlantic for a better life. 

The Trail can be accessed at the link below. 

Ulster American Heritage Trail