Heritage Grants
Opening in Spring 2027, the DNA Museum (Derry~Londonderry on the North Atlantic) is located within the historic Star Fort at Ebrington with panoramic views of the River Foyle, Peace Bridge and the Walled City.
The £14.4million construction project commenced in September 2025 with major financial backing from Derry City and Strabane District Council and three Northern Ireland Executive departments. Heritage Fund awards totalling £3.5m are contributing to the construction, the conservation, transfer and digitisation of collections; and will help equip the museum to welcome visitors.
The museum will explore the area from early settlement to the present day, looking at its archaeology, industrial heritage and the development of the port, sharing stories of migration and social change.
Visitors will experience:
- six interactive galleries
- a hands-on archive discovery zone
- expert genealogy advice to help trace family histories
- a rotating programme of temporary exhibitions
- a flexible learning and events space
It will be a welcoming, shared space for locals, tourists, students and researchers and home to collections previously available in the Tower Museum. Art and artefacts from the Council’s extensive archive and an Armada shipwreck exhibition will be relocated from the Ulster Museum.
Stella Byrne, Head of Investment for Northern Ireland, said: "We first supported the DNA Museum project in 2013, helping to shape early plans for the transformation of the historic buildings at Ebrington Square. Thanks to National Lottery players, the DNA Museum will be a dynamic new museum space that opens up the city’s heritage in fresh and inclusive ways.”
Find out more about the DNA museum or explore other projects we’ve funded across Northern Ireland.
