Tower Museum

02/09/2026

Art on Your Doorstep: Flowers in a Vase

Artist: Rachel Ruysch

Year: about 1685

Location: St. Columb’s Park House

Look closer… what do you see?

At first glance, this might look like a perfectly arranged bouquet of fresh flowers.

But take another look…

A rich display of blooms rises from a delicate glass vase, each petal painted with striking detail, colour, and precision.

Rachel Ruysch was one of the most celebrated flower painters of the Dutch Golden Age, known for combining close observation of nature with extraordinary artistic skill.

Although the bouquet feels natural, it could never exist in real life. Many of these flowers bloom in different seasons, meaning the arrangement is an imaginative composition rather than a real gathering from nature.

Look closely and you’ll notice even more life within the painting — tiny insects, curling leaves, and subtle shifts in light that make the flowers feel almost alive.

These small details bring movement and energy to an otherwise still scene.

The result is a moment of beauty that feels both scientific and dreamlike.

Which flower or detail in the bouquet catches your attention first?

See it at St. Columb’s Park House as part of Art on Your Doorstep

Rachel Ruysch, Flowers in a Vase, about 1685

Bequeathed by Alan Evans, 1974

© The National Gallery, London



Alt text: A highly detailed still life painting showing an elaborate bouquet of flowers arranged in a glass vase. The composition includes a variety of colourful blooms, curling leaves, and small insects. The flowers are painted with lifelike precision, creating a sense of richness, movement, and natural beauty despite being an imagined arrangement.

01/09/2026

FINAL MONTH! Art on Your Doorstep across Derry & Strabane

This September is your last chance to experience the Tower Museum's Art on Your Doorstep out and about across the Derry City & Strabane District Council area!

We're celebrating with a month of FREE family-friendly creative events inspired by masterpieces from the National Gallery - from farmyard printmaking to city walks, library art clubs and plein air painting in the parks.

Here’s what’s coming up:

🌿 Sat 12 Sept | 2-4pm | Acorn Farm, Derry~Londonderry
Art, Nature and Community Workshop - Drawing & monoprinting with seasonal produce, leaves and found materials. Inspired by Gauguin, Caravaggio, Holbein & more. With artist Sinéad Smyth.
Meet at Acorn Farm Gate Lodge

🚶‍♀️ Fri 18 Sept | 4-6pm | Culture Night
Guided Walk & Draw - Tower Museum to Acorn Farm. Slow down, look closely and draw your way across the Peace Bridge. No experience needed.
Meet at Tower Museum - Free, no booking needed

🦏 Sat 19 Sept | 10am-12 noon | Strabane Library
Family Creative Drop-In - Pattern, texture and colourful rhinos inspired by Pietro Longhi's Exhibition of a Rhinoceros at Venice. Drop in anytime!

🏰 Sat 26 Sept | 2-4.30pm | Newtownstewart
Reflections of now and then - Walk, talk & draw around the Castle by the Strule, inspired by de H***h & van Eyck. Charcoal, pencil, colour & refreshments.
Meet at Newtownstewart Centre 2000

☀️ Sun 27 Sept | 2-4.30pm | Castlederg
Beneath an open sky - Plein air painting in Castle Park exploring blues & yellows, inspired by Renoir's The Umbrellas & Van Gogh's Wheatfield. Dress up encouraged!
Meet at Castlepark, Castlederg

All materials provided. All FREE. Booking recommended where stated: [email protected] / 028 7137 2411

Please wear comfy footwear, old clothes & dress for the weather.

Come and celebrate art, nature and community before the exhibition closes!

Keep an eye out for further information about each event throughout the coming week!

01/09/2026

Reminder to all those who have connections to the shirt factory industry here in the city and beyond! This Friday feel free to call in to the Tower Museum!

📅 Friday 4 September 2026
🕐 Drop in any time, 1pm–5pm

Do you remember Derry~Londonderry's shirt factories?

Over recent months, people across the North West have been sharing photographs, objects, stories and memories of the shirt factories with the Tower Museum, with a fantastic response following the Foyle Maritime Festival.

Now we're inviting former workers, their families and anyone with a connection to the industry to join us for a Shirt Factory Memories Day, as part of Archives Revealed – Exploring the Shirt Factory Archives.

This is a free, informal drop-in event; come along any time between 1pm and 5pm and stay for as long as you like.

Visitors will have the chance to see newly catalogued archive material alongside photographs, objects and memories recently added to the collection, with some being shared publicly for the first time.

Come along to:
· share your memories and knowledge of factory life
· help identify people, places, machinery and workplaces in historic photographs
· explore original archive material and museum objects
· bring photographs, documents or objects you would like to donate, or photographs we can scan and return to you
· chat with staff and other former factory workers, and find out how you can contribute your story to the project

Whether you worked in a factory, had family who did, or simply remember the sights, sounds and people of the industry, we'd love to hear from you. No memory is too small.

📍 Tower Museum, Derry~Londonderry
📅 Friday 4 September 2026
🕐 Drop in any time, 1pm–5pm

[email protected]

27/08/2026

Culture Night: Guided Walk & Draw with 'Art on Your Doorstep'

Slow down, look closely, and experience the city from a different perspective.

Join us for a guided meditation, walking and drawing journey from the Tower Museum to Acorn Farm. Moving through the city and across the Peace Bridge, we will pause along the way to notice the landscape, the river, changing views and the small details we often pass by.

Artist Sinéad Smyth will offer simple observational drawing prompts, inviting you to connect with place, creativity and the present moment.

No drawing experience needed; just bring your curiosity and a willingness to slow down, wander and see where the line takes you. You don't even need to book, just show up and join us!

Plus: 'Art on Your Doorstep' continues until the end of September. Pick up a trail map from the Tower Museum or the Guildhall and explore the artworks at your own pace.

📍 From: Tower Museum
📅 Date: Friday 18 September 2026
⏰ Time: 4pm - 6pm
🎨 Cost: Free event - part of Culture Night
🚶 Route: Tower Museum to Acorn Farm via Peace Bridge

Please wear comfortable footwear and clothing and dress for the weather. All materials will be provided.

26/08/2026

Art on Your Doorstep: Surprised!

Artist: Henri Rousseau

Year: 1891

Location: St. Columb’s Park House

Look closer… what do you see?

At first glance, this might feel like a dramatic jungle scene caught in a sudden storm.

But take another look…

A tiger bursts through tall grasses as lightning splits the sky and heavy rain sweeps across dense vegetation.

The moment feels tense, almost as if something unexpected has just happened — or is about to.

Yet Henri Rousseau never actually travelled to a tropical jungle. Instead, he built this world from imagination, botanical gardens, illustrated books, and careful observation of plants he could see in everyday life.

The result is a landscape that feels both real and dreamlike at the same time.

Look closely at the repeating leaves and layered plants. Their patterns create rhythm and depth, pulling your eye deeper into the scene.

The painting blends danger, mystery, and wonder — a frozen moment of tension within an imagined wild world.

Do you think this scene feels more realistic or more imaginative—and why?

See it at St. Columb’s Park House as part of Art on Your Doorstep

Henri Rousseau, Surprised!, 1891

Bought, with the aid of a substantial donation from the Hon. Walter H. Annenberg, 1972

© The National Gallery, London



Alt text: A dramatic jungle painting showing a tiger emerging through tall grasses during a thunderstorm. Lightning illuminates dense layers of tropical plants, which are painted in repeating patterns and bold shapes. The scene feels tense and dreamlike, with a strong sense of movement and imagination.

21/08/2026

Do you remember Derry~Londonderry's shirt factories?

Over recent months, people across the North West have been sharing photographs, objects, stories and memories of the shirt factories with the Tower Museum, with a fantastic response following the Foyle Maritime Festival.

Now we're inviting former workers, their families and anyone with a connection to the industry to join us for a Shirt Factory Memories Day, as part of Archives Revealed – Exploring the Shirt Factory Archives.

This is a free, informal drop-in event; come along any time between 1pm and 5pm and stay for as long as you like.

Visitors will have the chance to see newly catalogued archive material alongside photographs, objects and memories recently added to the collection, with some being shared publicly for the first time.

Come along to:

· share your memories and knowledge of factory life

· help identify people, places, machinery and workplaces in historic photographs

· explore original archive material and museum objects

· bring photographs, documents or objects you would like to donate, or photographs we can scan and return to you

· chat with staff and other former factory workers, and find out how you can contribute your story to the project

Whether you worked in a factory, had family who did, or simply remember the sights, sounds and people of the industry, we'd love to hear from you. No memory is too small.

📍 Tower Museum, Derry~Londonderry

📅 Friday 4 September 2026

🕐 Drop in any time, 1pm–5pm

[email protected]

19/08/2026

Art on Your Doorstep: The Hay Wain

Artist: John Constable

Year: 1821

Location: St. Columb’s Park House

Look closer… what do you see?

At first glance, this might seem like a simple countryside view.

But take another look…

A wooden cart, known as a hay wain, rests in the shallow waters of the River Stour while horses pause quietly before continuing their journey through the English countryside.

John Constable captures not a grand historical event, but the quiet beauty of everyday rural life — scenes inspired by places from his own childhood.

This familiarity gives the landscape a sense of warmth and affection, as though it is remembered as much as it is observed.

Constable was deeply interested in weather and light, carefully studying the sky to understand how clouds move and change.

Look closely at the sky above the scene. The detailed cloud formations were based on real observations, helping to bring the atmosphere to life.

The painting feels calm, open, and still — a moment of pause within a working landscape.

What details in this scene make it feel peaceful to you?

See it at St. Columb’s Park House as part of Art on Your Doorstep

John Constable, The Hay Wain, 1821

Presented by Henry Vaughan, 1886

© The National Gallery, London



Alt text: A rural landscape showing a horse-drawn cart, known as a hay wain, crossing a shallow river in the English countryside. The surrounding fields and trees create a peaceful setting, while detailed clouds fill the sky above. The scene is calm and natural, with an emphasis on light, atmosphere, and everyday rural life.

17/08/2026

Ready to explore Derry's architectural heritage?

You walk past it every day. You may have never been inside, or you've probably visited many times but have you ever heard the stories that have shaped the history of our building?

This September for European Heritage Open Days, join us for a special combined tour of two iconic buildings - The Guildhall and Harbour House.

With Harbour House not usually accessible to the public, this is a unique opportunity to step inside both and see them in a whole new light.

FREE TOURS
Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th September
10am | 12pm | 2pm | 4pm

Spaces are limited, so be sure to book your spot early!

BOOKING ESSENTIAL:
📍 Enquire at Guildhall Reception
📞 028 7137 6510
📧 [email protected]

17/08/2026

EHOD WEEKEND AT THE TOWER MUSEUM - Two unmissable experiences!

Step inside the Tower Museum and discover the Derry Girls Experience and get a behind the scenes look at the process as we prepare to move to the DNA Museum!

THE DERRY GIRLS EXPERIENCE - FREE!
The gang's back in town! Explore the much-loved Derry Girls Experience and see where it all began:

📓 Erin’s diary, Aunt Sarah’s famous pyjamas & Ma Mary’s Woolworths sweater
👗 The infamous Spice Girls costumes
🛋️ Step onto the set of the Quinn household and feel like one of the family
😒 Sit in Sister Michael’s chair and perfect your eye-roll

EXCLUSIVE BEHIND THE SCENES TOUR
Looking for more? Join an exclusive Behind the Scenes Tour as part of EHOD 2026.

This exclusive experience offers a rare opportunity to meet the Tower Museum's Curator, Archivist and Conservation team, and gain insight into the fascinating work involved in caring for and preparing historic collections for display at the new Derry on the North Atlantic (DNA) Museum.

Discover how items are selected, conserved and interpreted, and hear first-hand about the stories they will tell in the new museum. A unique chance to see heritage in action before it reaches the exhibition space.

📅 Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th September 2026

⏰ Derry Girls Experience: 09:00 - 16:00 | FREE ADMISSION
⏰ Behind the Scenes Tours: 12:00-13:00 & 14:00-15:00

BOOKING ESSENTIAL FOR TOURS:
📞 028 7137 2411
📧 [email protected]

14/08/2026