Mayo museum sets into spring with an array of free events

The National Museum of Ireland at Turlough Park, Castlebar, is offering an exciting programme of free workshops and tours for schools throughout April, May and June. 

The next event in the programme is a Biodiversity Workshop, which will take place on Thursday, April 30, with sessions at 10:00 am and 11:30 am. Led by Dr  Karina Dingerkus alongside the Museum’s Education team, this hands-on workshop explores minibeasts and wildflowers at Turlough Park.

The workshop is designed for students from 3rd to 6th class in primary school. It includes bug hunts and minibeast identification, a wildflower treasure hunt, pollinator observation, and a nature walk with interactive games.

In May, students can take part in the Museum's Buttermaking Demonstrations, where they will learn about the origins of traditional buttermaking in Ireland, along with the science, history and cultural significance of dairy production. Pupils will also get the chance to churn cream into butter using traditional methods.

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Also returning in May are the Museum’s Orienteering Adventure Days. Suitable for 4th to 6th class students, these sessions introduce participants to basic map reading and navigation skills before they complete trial runs on an orienteering course set throughout the Turlough Park grounds.

There are various sessions available on Wednesday, May 20, and Thursday, May 21. These workshops are delivered in partnership with ATU Mayo and Mayo Sports Partnership to celebrate World Orienteering Week.

In addition, throughout May and June, the Museum is offering free Guided Tours of the National Folklife Collection and Guided Seasonal Nature Tours in the biodiverse parklands of Turlough Park. These tours are available at 10:00 am and 11:30 am on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and can be booked online.

For more information, visit  www.museum.ie/country-life.