Museums
There are a number of high quality community and privately-run museums and heritage centres in County Laois, each with its own particular strengths in interpreting the cultural heritage of the county.
The Irish Fly Fishing and Game Shooting Museum, Attanagh
The managers of these museums have come together to form the Laois Museums Network, a group which aims to provide direction and support to the museums sector in the County.
Members of the Laois Museums Network are:
- Donaghmore Workhouse Museum
- Mountmellick Museum
- People’s Museum Portarlington
- Abbeyleix Heritage House
- The Irish Fly Fishing and Game Shooting Museum
- The GAA Collection, Portlaoise
- The Poet’s Cottage, Camross
- Stradbally Steam Museum
The Museums of Laois Study (2005) carried out by the Laois Heritage Office and Laois LEADER , with the support of the Heritage Council provides the background to the network, and details the status of the sector in the county. This report may be downloaded here, or ordered from the Laois Heritage Office.
The Heritage Council provides national policy advice and support to museums and archives in Ireland. A major part of this is the national Museums Standards Programme, which aims to raise standards across a wide range of areas and to promote the care and welfare of collections
