About
Navan Fort — known in Irish as Eamhain Mhacha — is one of the most sacred, mysterious and historically significant prehistoric sites in Ireland, and the award-winning Navan Centre is the outstanding interpretive attraction that brings its extraordinary story to life for visitors. Standing on a low hill above the ancient city of Armagh in County Armagh, Navan Fort is the legendary capital of the Ulster kings — the seat of Conchobar Mac Nessa and the setting of the great Ulster Cycle, the cycle of heroic myth and saga that gave the world Cú Chulainn, Ireland's greatest mythological hero.
The site has a history of human activity stretching back at least 4,500 years, and the hillfort itself was in use from around 700 BC. But the most dramatic chapter in Navan's story came around 95-94 BC, when a huge circular structure of timber — approximately 43 metres in diameter, containing 275 posts in a pattern of five concentric rings — was constructed on the hilltop. Almost immediately after its construction, this remarkable building was filled to the roof with limestone boulders, sealed with turf and clay, and set on fire from inside. The resulting mound — known as Site B — is visible today as a distinctive rounded shape on the hilltop.
No one knows with certainty why this was done. The deliberate construction and ritual destruction of such a structure — representing an immense investment of labour and materials — suggests an act of profound ceremonial or religious significance. Perhaps this was the formal closing of a sacred site, or the creation of a ritual monument intended to endure forever. The burning and sealing seems to have been a controlled, deliberate act rather than a destruction by enemies. Whatever its purpose, it places Navan Fort in the very first rank of Iron Age ceremonial sites in Europe.
The Navan Centre, opened in 1993 and expanded and updated since, uses state-of-the-art immersive storytelling, film, music, replica artefacts, and archaeological displays to bring both the mythological tradition of Eamhain Mhacha and the hard archaeological evidence of the site to life. The combination of the mythological dimension — the world of Cú Chulainn, the Red Branch Knights, Queen Medb and the Cattle Raid of Cooley — with the genuine wonder of Iron Age archaeology makes Navan one of the most compelling heritage visits in Northern Ireland.
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Annual Visitors (2019)
50,000
Plan Your Visit
⏱️ Recommended Visit Duration
📅 Best Times to Visit
Quietest: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
Busiest: Saturday, Sunday
💡 Weekday mornings for the quietest experience. Summer evenings for walking the fort in long evening light — the views across County Armagh are spectacular.
💡 Visitor Tips
- Do not miss the immersive film experience — it is the heart of the Navan Centre's interpretive offer and visitors who skip it miss the most powerful and memorable part of the attraction. Check the screening schedule on arrival and time your visit accordingly.
- Allow time to walk up to the fort itself — the views across County Armagh from the hilltop are spectacular and the earthworks have a genuine presence and atmosphere that the visitor centre alone cannot convey. Allow 30–45 minutes for the walk.
- The fort walk involves a gentle but real climb on uneven ground — wear suitable footwear. Muddy conditions are possible in wet weather. The rewards (the views and the experience of walking the ancient earthworks) more than justify the effort.
- The mythology dimension — Cú Chulainn, the Ulster Cycle, the sacred landscape — is as important to the full Navan experience as the archaeology. Take time with the mythology galleries and don't treat them as mere backstory to the 'real' archaeological exhibits.
- Combine your visit with Armagh city (3km) for a full day's heritage — the two cathedrals, the county museum, the Royal Irish Fusiliers Museum and the planetarium are all within easy walking distance of each other.
- The café has excellent homemade food — the on-site café with its views towards the fort is one of the most pleasant places for a light lunch in County Armagh, especially in good weather with the outdoor seating.
- If visiting with children, the hands-on replica artefacts and storytelling approach make this one of the most genuinely child-friendly heritage attractions in Northern Ireland. The mythology of Cú Chulainn engages even the most reluctant young visitors.
- Visit in the evening during summer if possible — the long light of Ulster summer evenings turns the fort's gentle hills golden and the views from the top are extraordinary. Check if the site remains open for evening visits in the summer months.
Highlights
Discover the unique exhibits and collections at this museum.
Collections
The Navan Centre holds archaeological material from excavations of Navan Fort and the surrounding landscape, including Iron Age pottery, metalwork, bone objects, animal bones, and structural evidence from the excavations of Dudley Waterman and Chris Lynn. Replica artefacts based on Iron Age metalwork, weaponry and domestic objects are a central feature of the hands-on interpretation.
The centre's primary interpretive assets are its immersive film experience, storytelling galleries, and archaeological displays which translate the academic evidence into accessible visitor experience.
The archaeological finds from the original excavations are held largely at the Ulster Museum in Belfast, with selected material at the centre.
Eamhain Mhacha: The Fort and its Stories
The main permanent exhibition combining archaeological evidence from excavations of Navan Fort with the mythological tradition of the Ulster Cycle. Covers the site's long history of use, the extraordinary ritual event of c.94 BC, and the myths of Cú Chulainn and the Ulster kings.
📍 Main Exhibition Halls
The Immersive Experience
Award-winning immersive film and audio-visual experience bringing the myths and archaeology of Eamhain Mhacha to life through cinematic storytelling.
📍 Cinema Hall
Navan Fort: The Walk
Guided and self-guided walk to the fort itself — the earthworks, Site B mound, and the surrounding landscape — with interpretation panels explaining the archaeology.
📍 Outdoor Fort Site
Themes
Time Periods
Current Exhibitions
No current exhibitions. Please check the museum website for updates.