Exhibitions

With a focus on preserving the heritage and history of this house, family, town and region, we have developed four permanent exhibitions in the house.

1.    The Grace O’Malley Exhibition

Howe Peter - the 2nd Marquess of Sligo

Written and developed by Sheelyn Browne, Joint Managing Director of Westport House, and Anne Chambers, historian and expert on Grace O’Malley, this is the country’s foremost exhibit on Grace O’Malley.  It lives in the basement of Westport House adjacent to the dungeons from the Pirate Queen’s 16th century castle, the foundations upon which the House is built.  It features panels depicting her meeting with the Queen, Howth Castle as well as her life lived in the 16th century and a video presentation from RTE’s Radharc TV show shot in the 80’s. 

2.    The Last 50 Years at Westport House

Westport House added a new exhibition in 2011 on “The Last 50 Years at Westport House” that delves in more detail into how and why the 11th Marquess decided to keep the house open, fought to retain the house and land for his 5 daughters and you’ll find out who will be the 12th Marquess of Sligo… 

3. Howe Peter, Champion of the Slaves

This moving exhibition depicts the life of Howe Peter Browne, the 2nd marquess of sligo,  with a focus on his participation the emancipation of slaves in Jamaica in the 1800’s.when he was Governor General of Jamaica in 1834-1836 and helped abolish Slavery.

4.    Waxworks Display of Famous Visitors to the West

To improve the visitors experience in Westport House from a cultural point of view, Jeremy introduced ten waxwork figures by Gems Display Figures of London in 2002. These constitute just a few of the West of Ireland’s great achievers in literature, music and the arts.