About
The Siege Museum in Derry/Londonderry is a modern heritage attraction dedicated to one of the defining events in the history of Ireland and Britain — the Great Siege of Derry of 1688–89, when the city's Protestant citizens withstood 105 days of siege by the Jacobite army of James II, refusing to surrender despite starvation, disease and bombardment. The famous cry of 'No Surrender!' first raised during those desperate months has echoed through three centuries of Ulster Protestant and unionist identity, making the Siege of Derry far more than a historical event — it is a living tradition at the heart of one community's sense of who they are.
The museum was developed and is operated by the Apprentice Boys of Derry, the organisation founded to commemorate the siege and the thirteen young apprentices who slammed the city gates shut against the Jacobite advance on 7 December 1688 — the act of defiance that triggered the entire siege. The Apprentice Boys have maintained annual commemorative marches in Derry for over 300 years, making them one of the oldest continuously active organisations of their kind in the world. Their involvement gives the museum an authenticity and depth of connection to its subject that few institutions can match.
The museum opened in 2017 in Society Street within the historic walled city, presenting the story of the siege through artefacts, arms, uniforms, maps, documents and immersive interpretation. The exhibition covers the political and religious context of the Williamite Wars — the struggle between the Catholic King James II and the Protestant Prince William of Orange for the throne of Britain and Ireland — and explains why Derry became the symbolic crucible of that conflict. The relief of the city by the Williamite fleet on 28 July 1689 is presented as one of the pivotal moments in the history of these islands.
The museum also explores the tradition of commemoration — how the memory of the siege has been carried through generations via the Apprentice Boys' marches, the Relief of Derry celebrations, and the annual burning of Lundy's effigy. For visitors unfamiliar with Ulster Protestant and unionist culture, it offers a uniquely accessible and sympathetic introduction to a tradition often misunderstood from outside.
Categories:
Annual Visitors (2019)
25,000
Plan Your Visit
⏱️ Recommended Visit Duration
📅 Best Times to Visit
Quietest: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
Busiest: Saturday
💡 Weekday mornings for the most relaxed experience. Particularly meaningful to visit during Apprentice Boys' commemoration weekends in August and December if you want to understand the living tradition.
💡 Visitor Tips
- Walk the city walls before or after your museum visit — the walls that the Protestant garrison defended for 105 days are immediately adjacent and can be walked completely in about an hour. The experience of standing on those walls transforms the museum story.
- Visit St Columb's Cathedral (a few minutes' walk from the museum) which holds important siege relics including the mortar shell in which the Jacobite terms of surrender were delivered into the city — a uniquely tangible connection to 1689.
- The museum is operated by the Apprentice Boys, whose guides bring an unparalleled depth of knowledge and genuine personal connection to the tradition. Do not hesitate to ask questions — the human dimension of the story is as important as the artefacts.
- Consider visiting during the Relief of Derry weekend in August to see the Apprentice Boys' march and understand the living commemorative tradition — though note this is a busy time in Derry and accommodation should be booked well in advance.
- The Siege Museum and Museum of Free Derry together offer visitors a profound experience of how two communities in the same city have lived through and remember very different histories on the same streets. Visiting both is highly recommended.
- Allow 90 minutes to see the museum fully — the arms and weapons collection repays careful attention, and the maps gallery is particularly valuable for understanding the military situation during the siege.
- The museum shop has good publications on the siege, the Williamite Wars and Apprentice Boys history that provide excellent deeper reading to extend the museum experience.
- Derry/Londonderry is a compact and very walkable city — the museum, the city walls, the Guildhall, the Tower Museum and the Peace Bridge can all be combined in a full day's heritage itinerary.
Highlights
Discover the unique exhibits and collections at this museum.
Collections
The museum's collection focuses on the history of the Great Siege of Derry (1688–89) and the Apprentice Boys of Derry tradition.
Holdings include 17th-century arms and armour (muskets, swords, cannon balls, pikes), military equipment from the siege period, siege maps and cartographic material, documents, regalia and banners of the Apprentice Boys, historic photographs of commemorative events spanning over a century, uniforms, and artefacts connected to key figures and events of the siege.
The collection brings together material preserved through the Apprentice Boys organisation over centuries alongside museum-quality acquisitions and loans.
The Great Siege of Derry 1688–89
The main permanent exhibition covering the full story of the siege from its origins in the Williamite Wars through the 105-day blockade to the relief of the city on 28 July 1689. Uses arms, artefacts, maps, documents and immersive interpretation.
📍 Main Exhibition
The Apprentice Boys: 300 Years of Commemoration
Exhibition tracing the history of the Apprentice Boys of Derry from the 18th century to the present, exploring how the memory of the siege has been preserved, transmitted and celebrated through annual marches and commemorative events.
📍 Commemoration Gallery
Themes
Time Periods
Current Exhibitions
No current exhibitions. Please check the museum website for updates.