National Museums » Ulster American Folk Park » Learning » Live and Learn » Learning Programmes

Learning Programmes

All programmes can be adapted to suit various requirements, needs, abilities and areas of interest. Programmes specific to the Ulster American Folk Park include:

  • Textiles Heritage and History

Explore the rural textile industries of Northern Ireland, experiment with creative textile crafts and techniques both traditional and contemporary.

Get a behind the scenes glimpse at our textiles collections and delve into the history of textiles from spinning and patchwork to linen and fashion. 

  • Seasonal Customs and Traditions

Pick a season and explore the customs and traditions that would have been practiced at different times of the year. This programme draws upon folklore, history and customs using the archives of National Museums Northern Ireland. This programme is designed to explore the ways of life preserved at the Ulster American Folk Park. Choose from; Spring and Easter Customs, Summer Customs, Harvest, Halloween and Christmas.

  • Old Traditions, New Skills

Harvest Knots, rope making, soda bread baking, spinning, natural dyeing, basket making, willow weaving and much more besides!

Explore the traditional skills practiced by rural communities in 1900s Northern Ireland. Touching on social history and drawing upon various areas of National Museums’ collections and archives, content will vary according to time of year. 

  • The Story of Emigration

Learn about those who emigrated to America in the 1700s and 1800s and avail of our Centre of Migration Studies to explore your own migration story.

You will engage with old photographs, letters, archive materials, oral recordings and literature to really delve into local, family and/or social history. 

  • Museums Uncovered

Explore the diversity of our museum exhibits through our handling collection, exhibitions and outdoor exhibits. Costumed interpreters help unravel the stories of the families who emigrated from here many years ago. Sessions are themed to either emigration, textiles, traditional crafts and rural lives. Creative opportunities will be provided accordingly.

  • Reminiscence Loan Box Service

In partnership with Reminiscence Network NI, the Ulster American Folk Park is delighted to preserve living heritage by loaning out these boxes which contain “memory” objects of everyday objects linked to: Rural Life, Home Life, 1950’s, Leaving Home, School days and World War 11.

  • Get Creative!

Live and Learn participants are often involved in creative activities.

Former participants have produced art and craft work, exhibitions, films, tours and much more.

Visit the Live and Learn Team’s Flickr page to view images of Live and Learn programmes and workshops.