Hotels near Galway City Museum

Galway City Museum stands directly behind the Spanish Arch and is free to enter, which makes it the obvious wet-weather fallback in a city that gets plenty of wet weather. Three floors cover medieval Galway's trade with Spain, the Claddagh fishing village that occupied the far bank until the 1930s, and the city's part in Irish revolutionary history. The Galway Hooker sailing boat suspended through the stairwell is the standout object.

Labelling is clear, the building is modern and glass-fronted, and every floor is accessible by lift. Allow 60 to 90 minutes. The upper-floor cafe has one of the better views over the mouth of the Corrib and the Long Walk terrace. Opening runs Tuesday to Saturday year-round, with extra Sunday and Monday hours from Easter through September.

Pro Tip: Save the museum for the day with the worst forecast. Combined with Galway Cathedral and the Latin Quarter shopfronts it makes a coherent indoor-leaning day, which frees your clear mornings for Connemara or the Inis Mor ferry.