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Race on to win back accreditation lost by popular Co Armagh museum ‘dedicated to rural life’

As part of its fight to reinstate full accreditation, which was lost in 2023, the Barn Musuem at Tannaghmore Gardens must open on selected Sundays between now and next year

Urgent steps are being taken to win back full accreditation for a County Armagh museum which has provided an exciting and enlightening glimpse into how rural communities lived in days gone by.

The Barn Museum, based at Tannaghmore Gardens, first opened its doors to the public in 1997.

According to the Visit Armagh website, it “reflects the rich and varied heritage of the former Craigavon Borough Council area” and is “dedicated to rural life in the past”. It has “remained an integral part of Tannaghmore Gardens” since opening almost 30 years ago.

Each gallery in the Barn Museum contains an exhibition on a different aspect of rural life, such as dairying and washing, blacksmithing and haymaking. An old schoolroom transports visitors back to the days when the dreaded cane ruled the classroom! There is even an old-time grocer’s shop selling sweets.

Despite its wide range of attractions, the Barn Museum failed to win accreditation back in 2023.
After the matter was previously raised by local councillors, officers agreed to look into what could be done. The issue came before October’s Economic Development and Regeneration Committee of ABC Council, with a suggested solution aimed at ensuring the museum’s future success and official recognition.

The lapse was explained by Head of Tourism Brian Johnston in a report to the committee, with the Barn Museum’s accreditation due for renewal in 2023.

“Accreditation is the UK’s industry standard for museums and galleries, setting out nationally agreed standards of good practice in collections management, organisational health, and user engagement,” Mr Johnston explained.

“Unfortunately, the Barn Museum did not meet the basic requirements and was granted provisional accreditation. Provisional accreditation status in the UK Museum Accreditation Scheme recognises that a museum is temporarily unable to meet all the requirements of the Accreditation Standard but has demonstrated that it meets most standards and is actively working to meet the remaining requirements within an agreed timeframe.

“Provisional accreditation can be awarded for three years, affording the museum the opportunity to fulfil the basic requirements.”

However, if the Barn Museum does not fulfil accreditation standards by year four — which is 2027, its 30th anniversary year — it will lose that status.

To win back full accreditation, it must meet the basic requirement of being open to the public for at least 20 days per year.

To achieve this, it is now planned to open on selected Sundays through to July 2026.

In addition, an educational programme is expected to be delivered throughout the year, which will also “help to meet the actions required for accreditation”.

The Barn Museum has already opened on a number of Sundays, with future openings, between 12 noon and 4pm, planned for October 26 and November 9 and 23. Additional dates will be added for spring 2026.

It is intended that an application will then be submitted to the Accreditation Committee in August 2026 and, provided all requirements have been met, full accreditation should be restored.

Alliance Councillor Peter Lavery welcomed the officers’ efforts.

He said: “For those who know it, the museum at Tannaghmore Gardens is a lovely facility, and we need to ensure that it retains or regains its accreditation for potential grants and so on in the future.”

Councillor Lavery said it was important to continue to maintain, promote, and increase footfall at the museum to ensure it remains part of the borough’s “museum offer”, particularly for the wider Craigavon area.

He added: “I remember many times I was there over the summer as a child. It’s a good place, Tannaghmore Gardens, and the museum very much fits in with that, along with the farm itself.

“It’s good that this report’s coming forward and hopefully we’ll get that accreditation back — and that it’s maintained from this point on.”

Sinn Féin Councillor Liam Mackle, one of those who had previously raised the matter, agreed, saying it was “good to see this back on track”.

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