This free museum – located behind the Spanish Arch – traces the history of the city in meticulous detail, spanning from prehistoric Galway to the 20th century. The three-story facility is home to seven permanent exhibits and two temporary exhibit spaces. Topics covered include everything from archaeology to oceanography in the context of Galway. Highlights include a stone ax head carbon-dated to 3500 B.C. and a full-scale Galway hooker (a traditional Irish boat used for fishing and ferrying supplies).

According to past visitors, this museums offers a great introduction to the area's history. Visitors who recently toured the museum were impressed with the displays, and said it houses enough interactive exhibits to keeps little ones entertained. If you're a history buff, reviewers say you should plan to spend several hours here.

The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free. You'll also find a cafe on-site. For more information, visit the museum's website.