Saint Patrick Centre Exhibition experience
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
Explore the world's only permanent exhibition on St Patrick. Newly renovated, our exhibition tells Patrick's story in his own words, as narrated by Oscar-nominated Ciaran Hinds. Follow St Patrick from his boyhood in Roman Britain, through his abduction by Irish pirates, to his escape from slavery on Slemish Mountain. Our new IMAX cinema, bold graphics and sculptures, combined with video and audio techniques, allow visitors to explore Patrick’s life and the major impact of Irish Missionaries in Dark Age Europe.
The Saint Patrick Centre is ideally located beside St Patrick's grave in the Medieval town of Downpatrick.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
What To Expect
The Saint Patrick Centre
Entirely new Exhibition for 2023 - The Saint Patrick Centre is the only permanent exhibition in the World about Ireland’s Patron Saint. The story of Ireland begins in the words of Patrick- the Roman, the Slave and Saint.
Options
Saint Patrick Centre Exhibition experience
What‘s Included
All Fees and Taxes
Meeting points
The Saint Patrick Centre
Market Street Downpatrick United Kingdom
End points
This activity ends back at the meeting point.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
36 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Really awesome place - definitely visit
P9315TEmikes,Jun 13, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I recently visited the Saint Patrick Centre in Downpatrick and was very impressed by the experience. The exhibition is easy to follow, interesting, and does a great job of telling the story of Saint Patrick without feeling overwhelming. It’s one of those places where you can learn a lot without even realizing how much information you’re taking in. The location beside Down Cathedral and Saint Patrick’s grave also makes it feel like a really special place to visit. What stood out most was how welcoming and well-presented everything was. The staff were friendly, the displays were engaging, the cafe food was good, and the whole centre had a relaxed atmosphere. Whether you're interested in Irish history, heritage, or just looking for something worthwhile to do while exploring the area, I’d highly recommend stopping by. The Saint Patrick Centre was a real highlight of my visit to County Down and well worth the time.
Super experience
victoriakO6855TH,May 5, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a fantastic experience at the centre. Tim, the Director went out of his way to make the experience engaging and fun for our kids (6 and 2). The exhibition was informative, creative and the perfect length for a family adventure. Highly recommended. A must do to understand the story of Saint Patrick!
* “A Must-Visit in Downpatrick – Engaging and Enjoyable”
Z8537JPemmap,Apr 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I visited with my husband and this experience completely exceeded my expectations. From the moment we arrived, it was clear how thoughtfully the centre was curated . The film was captivating and really brought the story of St Patrick to life in a way that felt both engaging and informative. The tour was equally impressive—state of the art and interactive and full of interesting insights that made learning about St Patrick genuinely enjoyable rather than just educational. What stood out most was how immersive the whole experience felt. It strikes a great balance between storytelling and interaction, making it suitable for all ages. To fully take in the entire experience, I highly recommend getting a passport and taking the full tour of St Patrick’s Way. We also spent time in the gift shop, which was excellent—full of unique and high-quality items rather than the usual souvenirs. Overall, a fantastic visit that I would highly recommend.
A Chilling Encounter at a Supposedly Welcoming Site
rebeccahU6443LR,Aug 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00This review isn’t about the exhibits. It’s about something far more important—how a person can be made to feel invisible in a place built to welcome the world. I visited with a tour group as a wheelchair user. I approached Patricia, the manager, to ask for directions to the restroom. She looked at me, pulled out her phone mid-question, and answered a call. No nod. No apology. Just a silent wall of indifference. When I tried again after her call, her reaction wasn’t neutral—it was strategically cruel. She turned to the man behind me, lit up with hospitality, and asked him if he needed assistance. I ceased to exist in her eyes—except for one glance, cold and clipped, like a door slamming in my face. I didn’t make it to the restroom in time. I sat in a stall, weeping—not from embarrassment alone, but from the weight of being treated like a nuisance. A ghost. There is no excuse for what happened. Accessibility isn’t about ramps and signs. It’s about humanity. And that humanity was stripped away by Patricia in front of an entire tour group.
2 Thumbs Up
nevanc2021,Jul 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My experience at the Saint Patrick Centre was educating and impactful. The Centre did a fantastic job at teaching the importance of Saint Patrick to the entire island of Ireland as well as his continual modern day influences. It also had a nice cafe (with great sandwiches) and gift shop which were great stops during our time in Co. Down.
Interesting visit, learning new things
John A,Jul 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00The self guided tour worked well in the main, there was one projector which had died and a couple of other audio visual elements were partially defective. (We did learn that that had experienced a system issue the day before). By the end we got the feeling they were running out of material and there was a lot of repetition.
Pleasant & informative multimedia experience
Explorer44739136479,May 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Friendly multimedia visitor centre with a very appealing exhibition about St Patrick’s life. Enjoyed the beautifully crafted videos and audio, bringing St Patrick’s work alive. Can’t recall another museum with as pleasant an experience of consuming information. Lots of thought has gone into this. Would be ideal for kids too. The restaurant overlooks a pretty walled garden, the shop is ace and the staff are very welcoming.
Great place to buy souvenirs of local crafts
Valerie R,Sep 14, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Have visited the Saint Patrick Centre on numerous occasions- usually for a cuppa between appointments - that said it is also somewhere I go to buy unusual gifts for friends and family. There are prices to suit all and the variety provides a wide selection to chose from ie. jewellery, mugs, plates, ornaments, picture frames, books and maps. Well with a trip of 1or 2 hours.
Fantastic centre- 100% recommended.
CLE68,Jul 17, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A fantastic centre dedicated to the life and legacy of St Patrick. Really interesting to find out about his life sourced from his own writings. The story is told through videos, films and interactive displays. The staff are lovely and so helpful. It was a really great centre. The gift shop is lovely. Well stocked with a great range of Irish crafts, jewellery, clothes etc. Well priced and items to suit all pockets. Although we didn’t use the cafe, it looked nice and certainly was busy. This was a highlight of our trip and really worth visiting followed by seeing the grave of St Patrick at the nearby Cathedral.
Excellent - we learned so much but parking is an issue!
Eaglet64,Jul 7, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We didn’t really know what to expect but we wanted to know more about St Patrick. What a fabulous surprise we got, the museum was excellent, so informative and very well done. The gift shop was huge and had such nice things and the cafe was superb. Highly recommend you visit here. Just one small issue - parking! We couldn’t find that the centre had a car park and as we had a lady with mobility issues we had to drop her off and go and find somewhere to park. To do this we needed the RingGo app which fortunately we did have but unfortunately we didn’t have data for our phone so that cost us a fortune!!!!!
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