As the Ulster American Folk Park celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026, it does so during another landmark year in shared history, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. For half a century, the museum has brought to life the powerful story of emigration from Ulster to North America, helping generations of visitors understand the journeys, hardships and hopes of those who left these shores in search of a new future.
Through immersive storytelling, authentic exhibits and the dedication of its staff, the Folk Park has become one of Northern Ireland’s most distinctive heritage attractions. As part of its special anniversary programme, ‘The STORIES OF US’, visitors are invited to explore the people, traditions and experiences that continue to connect Ulster and America today.
We spoke with Nathan Domer, Acting General Manager at the Ulster American Folk Park, about 50 years of welcoming visitors from around the world, the enduring relevance of migration stories, and why 2026 offers a unique opportunity to reflect on a shared history that continues to shape both sides of the Atlantic.
What does the Folk Park’s 50th anniversary mean to you and the team, Nathan?
2026 is a special year for the Folk Park, not just for those who work at the museum but also for visitors, says Nathan. The entire team takes pride in the experience visitors have come to expect over the last five decades. From welcoming local families to international tourists, the museum’s reputation has been built on friendly hospitality and a passion for sharing stories. Fifty years of welcoming people from all around the world with a warm, friendly welcome is something that the staff at the museum enjoy greatly, and still do to this day.
Looking back over those five decades, what moments or achievements stand out as defining for the Folk Park?
I have been at the museum for almost 4.5 years, so I cannot comment too much looking back over the last 50 years. I often hear staff retell the stories of VIP visits, such as President Bill Clinton and former President of Ireland Michael D Higgins visiting. Hearing staff recall the days of past exhibition openings and the most recent exhibit building being brought over from North America and rebuilt here on-site, is truly something special.
The Ulster American Folk Park tells such a powerful story of migration in the 18th and 19th centuries, why do you think it continues to resonate with visitors today, especially in a year that also marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence?
I think the story of migration resonates with so many in today’s context because migration still happens. Many of us have relatives or friends who have migrated or moved to another place to live or work. It is something that we all can now relate to, in some way or another, as we either know people who have migrated or have lived experience of it – I think it is important to remember that migration has been going on for centuries.
Marking our 50th alongside America’s 250th is a meaningful chance for people to come to the Ulster American Folk Park to experience the shared stories, traditions and customs that continue to connect us. I might be biased, but nowhere else illuminates our deep connections with North America in such a comprehensive, compelling manner! And this summer, we have put together a special anniversary programme for visitors, that brings to life the role of people from Ulster in founding America, with special focus on the Declaration of Independence. The programme, with its vibrant blend of history and culture, past and present, is a unique invitation to explore this important part of our history and celebrate how the Ulster American Folk Park continues to make history immediate and memorable.
The Folk Park is known for its costumed visitor guides and immersive storytelling, how important are people in bringing history to life here?
People make places and it’s our people who bring the museum to life. Without them, how do tell our stories? For more than 50 years, staff past and present – whether that’s the team of costumed visitor guides in the exhibit buildings, our history curators and educators, to the staff in the Visitor Centre or the maintenance and grounds team, they all play a huge part in delivering the history and living connections at the heart of the Ulster American Folk Park, bringing the past and present together into a memorable experience
You must have visitors from all over the world, particularly from North America, are there any personal stories or emotional moments that have stayed with you?
We welcome visitors from all over the world – particularly from North America, as you say. I hear personal stories of emigration regularly from visitors, those who have made the journey across and those who never got the chance. It is so meaningful to hear the lasting impact the museum experience has had on those families, which only gives them a small sense of what the journey was like for their ancestors.
Then you have the other extent of it and people reminiscing on childhood memories. One personal story that has stayed with me is that of a young thatcher called Tommy, who has recently been working on rethatching the Single Room Cabin building on-site. Tommy recalls being at the Folk Park as a young boy on school and family trips and he never thought that, after training and studying to be a heritage thatcher, he would be back at the museum he remembers so well from his childhood, restoring the thatch on one of our exhibit buildings.
For someone visiting for the first time, what do you hope they feel as they walk the emigrant trail from Ulster to America?
Perspective. We hope that each visitor gets even a small sense of what that perilous journey was like for many who left home centuries ago, to start a new life in America. Visitors get to walk in their footsteps and along the way learn more about the life they left behind and the hardships they endured on the journey.
Over the last number of years, we have been developing the narrative at the Folk Park, telling the broader stories related to different traditions across Ulster, taking in previously marginalised histories, including the wider global stories of those impacted by migration from this part of the world – specifically stories of Indigenous Peoples and enslaved Black Americans. These are all our stories and without them, our understanding of our history is incomplete. Museums are always at their best when they bring past and present together into a dynamic conversation that creates memorable experiences. Our The STORIES OF US visitor experience this summer will do exactly that.
There’s a strong sense of stepping back in time, do you think that kind of immersive, slower experience is what visitors are seeking more of today?
I think so – we would often hear of families reminiscing of days gone by when they go into the authentic exhibit buildings and talk about what life was really like for many in rural Ulster. No electric, no running water and most importantly, no mobile phones or WiFi!
Do you have a favourite part of the Folk Park or a moment in the journey that you always recommend people take time to reflect on?
My favourite part of the journey through the Folk Park is at the Ship & Dockside Gallery. It provides a unique perspective of what that journey was really like crossing the Atlantic. The Brig Union is a scaled replica of the emigrant sailing ship that carried members of the Mellon family to Baltimore in 1816. You get an idea of the conditions people endured during their twelve-week crossing. Imagine being on a boat for 12 weeks! The merchant’s office near the dock stood in Great George Street in Belfast, while the boarding house dates to the 1700s and once offered shelter to emigrants on Bridge Street in Derry-Londonderry.
How has the Ulster American Folk Park evolved over the past 50 years, and what has remained at its heart throughout?
It has to be the people. It’s our people who bring the Folk Park to life day in, day out and it’s the visitor experience they create that has remained at the heart of the Folk Park throughout the years. When visitors return from a previous visit, they often talk about the people and the staff that they met, even more so than the exhibits and the history. I think this friendly and welcoming approach lends itself quite nicely to the part of the world which we are in and it is something to be proud of.
Have you seen a shift in visitor expectations or interests in recent years, particularly around heritage and storytelling?
Yes, visitors today are looking for a personal and authentic experience that they get in-person, not through a mobile phone or technology. Visitors often enjoy the sense of feeling and emotion that comes with storytelling, and this is something that can often only be felt in the ‘here’ and ‘now’, and the in-person experience, when the staff are interacting with visitors.
With 2026 also marking America 250, how important is this year in strengthening shared stories, traditions and customs that continue to connect us at the Ulster American Folk Park?
The story of migration from Ulster to America that we tell here at the Ulster American Folk Park is not just history – it is a living connection between two nations and ‘the stories of US’ – us and this place and the US [United States].
2026, being our 50th anniversary and America’s 250th, is a unique opportunity to explore this important part of our history and celebrate Ulster American Folk Park’s role in that, as the very place that can tell the stories of us. The visitor programme for the year that’s in it, with its vibrant blend of history and culture, past and present, makes a unique contribution to the wider USA-NI250 commemorations this year and I’m looking forward to providing a special birthday welcome to our visitors this summer.
How significant is the park’s role within the wider tourism offering of Northern Ireland, particularly in telling stories that connect internationally?
Northern Ireland has a world-class offering in terms of its tourism appeal, through its food, music and culture especially. So many businesses and individuals operating within the tourism sector here play their part in ‘Discover NI’, but it’s your USP within that – and I feel the Ulster American Folk Park is uniquely placed to tell our shared stories, traditions and customs that continue to connect us.
For someone who has never visited before, how would you describe the Ulster American Folk Park, and why should it be on their must-visit list in this milestone year?
The Ulster American Folk Park should be on everyone’s must-visit list this year, especially with it being an anniversary year. The special visitor programme we’ve planned for the summer, which we’ve called The STORIES OF US, is a unique invitation to be part of our anniversary and to experience the history and living connections at the heart of the Ulster American Folk Park, through the family-friendly experiences the museum is known for.
Rooted in storytelling, craft, music and food, the special anniversary programme will feature even more storytelling and re-enactments each day, combined with new exhibitions and curator-led talks. But visit us any day of the year and we will bring to life the stories of those who left Ulster centuries ago, so you can discover how their arrival in America shaped the foundations of what would become the United States we know today.
To discover the stories, people and connections that have shaped both Ulster and America, make the Ulster American Folk Park part of your plans this year. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am–5pm, with extended summer programming forming part of its special 50th anniversary celebrations and the wider America 250 commemorations. Visitors can book tickets online and find full details of events, exhibitions and the The STORIES OF US anniversary programme at Ulster American Folk Park. The museum is located just outside Omagh and offers a memorable day out for families, history enthusiasts and anyone interested in the enduring connections between Ulster and North America.
