Northern Ireland museums could see bigincreases in visitor numbers as a result of detailed plans for tourism heritage projects closely linked to existing or planned museums.
The five government-backed tourism 'signature projects' are Titanic Belfast, the Walled City of Derry, the heritage of St Patrick - which are all associated with museums or heritage centres - the Giant's Causeway, and the Mournes National Park.
It has now been announced that a new museum will be at the heart of the £1bn redevelopment of the old Harland & Wolff shipyards in Belfast. Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland (Magni) has been developing plans for several years for a major sea and sky museum on the site of the old shipyard, known as the Titanic Quarter.
According to the developer, Titanic Quarter Ltd, a public sector-backed company, a museum is central to its plans, exploiting the connection of the shipyards with the Titanic, which was built there. The old Harland and Wolff headquarters will be converted into a hotel and the total project will take 15 to 20 years to complete.
But it is unclear how a new museum would affect Magni's existing Ulster Folk and Transport Museum and its collections. Magni declined to comment.
Meanwhile, detailed plans for another of the signature projects, the St Patrick's/Christian Heritage project in Down and Armagh, have been announced, with the objective of making 'St Patrick's Country' what the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment calls 'an internationally recognised visitor attraction'.
At the heart of these proposals are the St Patrick's interpretive centre in Down and the St Patrick's Trian heritage centre in Armagh.
Derry's walled city and its associated Tower Museum - a former Ireland Museum of the Year - have also been earmarked as a signature tourism project, backed by a budget of £79m for building and environmental improvements.
The Tower Museum is currently closed for modification and extension, to accommodate a major new exhibition of items recovered from sunken Armada boats located off the nearby Donegal coast. The museum had been scheduled to reopen in May, but a spokeswoman for the council said it was now not likely to be open again before July.
The five government-backed tourism 'signature projects' are Titanic Belfast, the Walled City of Derry, the heritage of St Patrick - which are all associated with museums or heritage centres - the Giant's Causeway, and the Mournes National Park.
It has now been announced that a new museum will be at the heart of the £1bn redevelopment of the old Harland & Wolff shipyards in Belfast. Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland (Magni) has been developing plans for several years for a major sea and sky museum on the site of the old shipyard, known as the Titanic Quarter.
According to the developer, Titanic Quarter Ltd, a public sector-backed company, a museum is central to its plans, exploiting the connection of the shipyards with the Titanic, which was built there. The old Harland and Wolff headquarters will be converted into a hotel and the total project will take 15 to 20 years to complete.
But it is unclear how a new museum would affect Magni's existing Ulster Folk and Transport Museum and its collections. Magni declined to comment.
Meanwhile, detailed plans for another of the signature projects, the St Patrick's/Christian Heritage project in Down and Armagh, have been announced, with the objective of making 'St Patrick's Country' what the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment calls 'an internationally recognised visitor attraction'.
At the heart of these proposals are the St Patrick's interpretive centre in Down and the St Patrick's Trian heritage centre in Armagh.
Derry's walled city and its associated Tower Museum - a former Ireland Museum of the Year - have also been earmarked as a signature tourism project, backed by a budget of £79m for building and environmental improvements.
The Tower Museum is currently closed for modification and extension, to accommodate a major new exhibition of items recovered from sunken Armada boats located off the nearby Donegal coast. The museum had been scheduled to reopen in May, but a spokeswoman for the council said it was now not likely to be open again before July.
