Turlough Park, home to Ireland's National Folklife Collection, offers visitors a unique opportunity to explore Ireland's social, cultural and rural heritage.
Located just outside Castlebar, Co. Mayo, this National Museum of Ireland location is set within 30 acres of beautiful grounds featuring a Victorian Gothic house, exhibition galleries, a courtyard café and a woodland playground.
A must-visit destination in the west of Ireland this summer, Turlough Park is also a full of unexpected discoveries. For some added inspiration to plan a visit, here are five fascinating artefacts currently on display that might surprise visitors of all ages.
1. Skateboards
A rare skateboard with a unique piece of Irish sporting history is on temporary display until 27 July 2026. It is one of just 20 skateboards produced for the European Street Skating Championships, held at The Point, Dublin, in 1991. Sponsored by Sqeez orange juice, the skateboards were awarded as prizes in a promotional competition. This particular example was purchased from Skate City in Temple Bar, Dublin. The skateboard is displayed in association with the photographic exhibition Róidín in the Courtyard Gallery, which explores rural Ireland through the perspective of skateboarding culture.
2. A Brown Bear
One of the most talked-about exhibits this year is an impressive brown bear specimen from the Natural History Collections in Dublin. On display as part of The Murmur of Bees exhibition, the female bear from Alaska has captured the imagination of visitors, who have named her Beir Bua. Mounted standing on her hind legs, with her claws outstretched, the bear is similar to those that roamed the Irish landscape thousands of years ago! Visitors can meet Beir Bua until 21 September 2026 when the exhibition comes to an end.
3. Soapbox Dreams
A brightly coloured red soapbox racer, on public display for the first time this summer, tells the story of an exciting chapter in Ireland's sporting and social history. The display explores the popularity of soapbox derbies during the 1950s, when thousands of spectators gathered to watch young competitors race homemade ‘gravity cars’. Success at the national derby offered the chance to win a coveted trip to America and compete on the world stage. The display offers a nostalgic look at ambition, ingenuity and community spirit in mid-century Ireland.
4. Asian Hornet
As concerns grow about the spread of invasive species, visitors can view an Asian hornet up close as part of The Murmur of Bees exhibition, which continues until 21 September 2026. Asian hornets pose a significant threat to honeybees and other native pollinators, and members of the public are encouraged to report any sightings. The specimen on display is particularly significant, as it was the first Asian hornet ever collected in Ireland, in 2021. Other bee predators are also highlighted in the exhibition. A taxidermy example of a badger offers an opportunity to see one of Ireland’s most distinctive, nocturnal mammals. Children will also love the playful display on bees in popular culture which includes a miniature lego beehive with an interesting story!
5. Antique Veterinary Objects
A fascinating collection of antique veterinary instruments and animal husbandry equipment offers insights into the everyday work of vets in Ireland in decades past. The exhibition emerged from a partnership between the National Museum of Ireland and the Veterinary Department of Mayo County Council. Veterinary Officer Cathal Walsh and his colleagues assembled an important collection of historic veterinary objects, which was subsequently donated to the Museum. A selection of these unique artefacts is now on public display at Turlough Park.
