The iconic Belfast Barge has been relaunched as Northern Ireland’s only floating arts and heritage centre.
The 600-ton vessel, moored on the River Lagan at Lanyon Quay, has recently been converted into an arts hub, complete with a maritime museum, gallery, cinema club, multi-use events space and a dog-friendly café.
Nestled in between Queens Bridge and the Waterfront Hall, the floating arts and heritage centre remembers and celebrates the industries of the river and the people who worked along with it.
Overflowing with history, the lower deck of the Belfast Bargeis home to a maritime museum with a permanent exhibition entitled ‘The Greatest Story Never Told’. The interactive display tells the story of the industries of the River Lagan and is crammed full of artefacts salvaged from the famous Harland & Wolff shipyard which built and launched the Titanic.
The upstairs River Room, once home to a popular restaurant, has now been converted to an adog-friendly café with beautiful views of the Lagan, all watched over by resident canine Captain Bob.
A variety of delicious food is available in the restaurant, while there are ‘puppaccinos’ and plenty of treats for the pooches, with lots of maritime and dog-friendly events planned this year as the barge celebrates its 10th birthday in Belfast.
The events space has already held art exhibitions and pottery classes, and in the future will give upcoming artists an opportunity to showcase their work, along with young bands and musicians both new and established.
The space can be booked for birthdays, weddings and other occasions. Plans are also afoot to convert an apartment at the rear of the boat into a holiday let.
Previously known as MV Confiance, the Belfast Barge is owned by the Lagan Legacy charity, which originally brought it to the city from the Netherlands in 2006. It was sailed to Belfast by Captain Derek Booker, founder of the Lagan Legacy charity in 2010.
Every time someone goes onboard or hires the unique venue, they are supporting the not-for-profit charity and helping to keep the boat afloat.
The one-off arts venue is a perfect stop-off on a walk along Belfast’s Maritime Mile, which has the great global visitor attraction of Titanic Belfast as its centrepiece. The 10k walk connects and celebrates Belfast’s vibrant maritime and waterfront heritage and offers a wide range of experiences, restaurants and accommodation, including the iconic Titanic Hotel.
Attractions along the way include the original Titanic Slipways, Titanic’s tender ship SS Nomadic and HMS Caroline, the last remaining floating survivor of the Battle of Jutland in WW I.
Other must-sees include the collection of public art, the Glass of Thrones Trail popular with Game of Thrones® fans, the exceptionally are great Light and thevastThompsonDryDock, the ‘footprint’ of the Titanic, where she was fitted out and where she last sat on dry land before setting off on her fateful journey.
