Limerick Museum, Limerick

Limerick Museum, also known as the Jim Kemmy Municipal Museum, is a distinguished city museum in Limerick. Founded in 1907, the museum initially opened its doors to the public in 1916 within the Carnegie Free Library and Museum on Pery Square, a building funded by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. After remaining in Pery Square until 1975, the museum has undergone several relocations. In 1979, it moved to restored houses in John Square, and in 1998, it relocated to Castle Lane. Due to refurbishments at King John's Castle, the museum was temporarily housed in the Civic Buildings on Merchant's Quay in 2012, before moving to its current location in the old Franciscans Friary on Henry Street in 2017.

Managed by Limerick City and County Council, the Limerick Museum was recognized as a national museum under the Cultural Institution Act 1997, which designated it as an authorized repository for archaeological materials. The museum has had several curators, with the current curator being Dr. Matthew Potter since 2017. Over the years, the museum's collection has grown to encompass 62,000 objects, acquired through donations, purchases, and long-term loans. It became the first local authority museum in Ireland to feature an online catalog in 2004.

Limerick Museum is notable for its extensive range of exhibitions, which have highlighted various aspects of Limerick's rich history and culture. The museum's inaugural exhibition took place in 1940 to honor the centenary of the death of Limerick novelist Gerald Griffin. More recent exhibitions, like the 2014 Retrospective Exhibition, have featured significant artifacts, including the Charter of the City signed by King Charles II and a sword gifted by Queen Elizabeth I. These exhibitions provide opportunities to rotate and display different elements of the museum's vast collection, contributing significantly to the cultural enrichment and historical understanding of the city of Limerick.