Workhouse Museum

The Workhouse opened in 1840, closed as a Workhouse in 1948 but continued to be used as a hospital until 1991. A group of local historians managed to save some of the original Workhouse building from demolition and this is where the museum and the Waterside branch library are now housed. The Museum occupies two floors of the old Workhouse building and opened in 1997.

At present the exhibition includes: the Atlantic Memorial exhibition, dealing with the extensive part played by Derry in the Battle of the Atlantic during World War II: Artefacts and archives on display throughout the building relating to Workhouse life, 19th century poverty and the Famine. The venue is regularly used for temporary and travelling exhibitions.

The building is of great historical interest and a number of ghostly residents are said to haunt the building and surrounding area.

The Museum is also used by the Education Officer to run various school events and programmes and is the base for the Living History Programme.