DR Sarah-Anne Buckley, Tuam Oral History Project, University of Galway; Leonard Cleary, Chief Executive, Galway City Council; John Patrick (JP) Rodgers, Tuam Mother and Baby institution survivor; Professor David Burn, President of University of Galway; and Adam Stoneman, Acting Director of Galway City Museum. Photo: Boyd Challenger

Mother and Baby Home exhibition leads to new partnership

City Museum and University join forces

Published: Tue 20 Oct 2026, 11:43 AM

UNIVERSITY of Galway and Galway City Museum have formed a strategic partnership following the success of the recent Tuam Mother and Baby Home exhibition.

The partnership will collaborate on high-impact educational and cultural initiatives like the ‘Survivor Stories: Tuam and Ireland’s Institutional Past’.

A collaboration between the University of Galway and Galway City Museum, the exhibition ran from July 1 to September 26.

It was co-created with University of Galway’s survivor-led Tuam Oral History Project and is the first dedicated museum installation to focus on Mother and Baby institutions and their impact on Irish society.

Success of the exhibition was highlighted with the fact that almost 64,000 people visited the exhibition, including 29 tour groups from the US and several survivors of other institutions who wanted to use it as an opportunity to process their own personal histories.

PROFESSOR David Burn, President of University of Galway and Leonard Cleary, Chief Executive, Galway City Council, sign a new strategic partnership between University of Galway and Galway City Museum. Photo: Boyd Challenger

At the official partnership signing, President of University of Galway, Professor David Burn said that the two organisations already share strong links, and it is wonderful to have the collaboration developed officially.

“The Mother and Baby institution exhibition and SUPERHUMAN MedTech exhibit at Galway City Museum are wonderful examples of how we can reach and engage with a much wider public audience through this co-creative partnership that impacts lives in a meaningful way, while also enriching our students’ educational experience and our research activities,” he added.

Over the five-year period from 2026 to 2030, the two organisations will work together on exhibition development, digital humanities projects, public programming, heritage collections, research and student learning, and community engagement.

“The ongoing extension and redevelopment of the museum, supported by a major €12.3 million investment from Fáilte Ireland, presents an extraordinary opportunity to raise the ambitions of our partnership with the University,” said Leonard Cleary, Chief Executive of Galway City Council.