Crawford Art Gallery — Attraction in Cork

Excellent free gallery in the centre of Cork city. Lots of exhibits in a variety of media will engage the whole family. You can easily spend a few hours browsing. What I liked about it was the fact that you were given a description of the work but also an expanded explanation of the issue raised in the piece. For instance the picture I have included here is called "The Stray Sod" if I remember correctly and it deals with the Irish myth of disconnection from reality. There is a story that you can accidentally step on a piece of the earth that is disconnected from our present reality and you are lost to the world. The way to ensure that you could return to this reality was to turn your clothing backwards and you would be able to walk back to our world! I had heard of this when growing up and forgotten all about it until I turned a corner in the Crawford and was confronted with this piece. Wonderful day out for all the family, nice cafe with outdoor dining on...

A beautiful array of sculpture and painting. We went during the MEat & Potato exhibition and it was marvelous! The curation was thoughtful and spanned centuries, with both classic and modern artists represented in a variety of media. Especially delightful were the biscuits with icing representations of gallery pieces. There was an area where visitors could create their own art, and we did so, a delightful side adventure during our viewing. The mix of modern and period art is thought provoking; seeing a classic oil painted portrait from the 1800s next to a large scale photograph from the 1990s makes the viewer question what makes a piece museum-worthy, as longevity and hindsight aren't required. It's an intriguing question that helped me focus on the moment and appreciate the art in front of me, and challenges the viewer to create their own criteria for what makes...

Crawford Art Gallery in Cork is a gem in the city center, making it easy to visit whenever you're nearby. The current exhibition, "From Source to See," is a must-see, showcasing a stunning collection of paintings, drawings, sculptures, and prints. Even if art isn't your passion, the experience can be enriched by going with someone knowledgeable, as I did, which made the visit much more meaningful.

The gallery is free to enter, and they provide coloring booklets and pencils for children, featuring images from the exhibition. This is a great touch that kept my child entertained even after our visit. The gallery itself is housed in a beautiful historical building, and the architecture alone is worth the visit. For art and architecture lovers, Crawford Art Gallery is a must-visit spot that deserves repeat visits to catch new...