Tower Museum

Welcome to the Tower Museum and Derry Girls Experience 

We invite you to explore, experience and enjoy our award-winning exhibitions, spread across the five floors of our accessible building, as well as our rooftop viewing point.

Story of Derry

Discover the origins of ‘Doire’, the place of the oak, from it’s origins as an early settlement where St Columba founded his first monastery, to it’s Plantation and famous 17th Century Siege. Imagine life as industrialisation moulded the modern city, with it’s factories and shipping fortunes in the 19th and 20th Centuries, before violence exploded in the 1960s and forged a unique identity through hard times and humour making it the inimitable destination it is today.

An Armada Shipwreck La Trinidad Valencera

Relive the story of the soldiers and sailors aboard La Trinidad Valencera more than 400 years ago as it was blown off course on its retreat from England as part of the ‘ invincible ‘ Spanish Armada and ended up in a watery grave at Kinnagoe Bay.  Follow the journey of the ship from its origins in Venice in 1587 to its embarkation from Lisbon under the ensign of Philip II.  It sunk off the Donegal coast in 1588 and was discovered by the City of Derry Sub Aqua Club in 1971. Embrace the excitement and awe of the amateur sub aqua divers who discovered the artifacts over 50 years ago and the archaeologists who examined the trove which now takes pride of place in the Tower Museum.

Discovery Zone                                                          

Get hands-on in our interactive Discovery Zone and find out more about everything from archaeology to woodlands. We also offer an outreach service and a range of educational resources for schools, adult learners and community groups. Themed loan boxes, reminiscence boxes and our maritime roadshow are available to book through our Community Engagement programme. We are a Dementia and Autism friendly venue.

VR Experience.

Immerse yourself in the past and present of Derry like never before! Via a virtual reality headset, you can follow in the footsteps of millions as you leave Derry Quay in 1891 and voyage across the Atlantic to see the lights of New York appear. Or you can help defend from the U-boat menace as you spot dangers from your kite balloon hundreds of metres in the air. Or choose a bird’s- eye view of the city as it is transformed from a wild landscape of thick forests and ancient standing stones to the vibrant modern city of bricks and glass.

Archive and Genealogy.

Learn about the official formation of the city through our collection of civic records including Londonderry Corporation Minutes Books from 1673 to 1901. These records provide a comprehensive overview of the city’s development from the late 17th Century to the present day. Find out what life was like through the centuries based on our extensive collection of legal documents, architectural drawings, plans and private collections, from industry to railways, political movements to social history. Make connections with family old and new through our database, holding 1 million records from 1642 to 1922, of the major civil and church registers of the city and County of Derry- Londonderry and Inishowen in County Donegal including births deaths and marriages.

Access to the archive collection is by appointment only, contact: tower@derrystrabane.com

For genealogy enquiries contact: genealogy@derrystrabane.com

Derry Girls Experience                                     

Visit the home of Derry Girls and discover where it all began! See Original memorabilia from the hit show, like Erin’s diary, Aunt Sarah’s famous pyjamas and Ma Mary’s Woolworths sweater, not to mention the infamous Spice Girls costumes. Step onto the set of the Quinn household and feel like one of the family or sit in Sister Michael’s chair and roll your eyes at all who pass.

Get Fast Track Entry when you purchase the Visitor Pass.

DOWNLOAD THE AUDIO APP FOR YOUR VISIT

Apple Store: https://apps.apple.com/ie/app/derry-girls-experience/id6448470925

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.waymigo.derrygirls

The top of the Tower Museum (level 5) provides the only open air viewing facility in the heart of the city centre with stunning panoramic views of the inner city and river Foyle.