Updated 3 October 2026. Hours and prices checked against each venue’s official site. Prices change, so confirm on the linked page before you book.
Rain is part of the deal in Belfast, and the city is well set up for it. If you’re looking for things to do in Belfast when it’s raining, you’re spoilt for choice: free museums and galleries, the big ticketed attractions, distillery tours, shows, sport, a covered Victorian market and a proper pub snug. We’ve started with the free options, then moved on to the paid ones, with prices and opening hours from each venue’s own website.
Every entry links to its official page, and to our listing where we have one. For more ideas, wet or dry, see our things to do in Belfast hub or browse our indoor Things to Do.
Free museums, galleries and glasshouses
Ulster Museum. Art, history and natural science under one roof, with free admission for everyone and mostly no booking needed. It’s open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am–5pm, and closed on Mondays.
Palm House and Tropical Ravine, Botanic Gardens. Two glasshouses in Botanic Gardens, and both are free to visit. The Palm House is open 10am–3.30pm (last admission 3.15pm) and the Tropical Ravine 10am–4pm (last admission 3.45pm). The Ravine has free Wi-Fi and runs guided tours on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2pm and Saturdays at 11am.
The MAC. The exhibitions are free (suggested donation £5), and the galleries are open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am–5pm. There’s also a free family room and Imagination Stations with craft supplies. Our Cathedral Quarter guide covers the streets around it.
Belfast Exposed. Free photography galleries at 23 Donegall Street, open Tuesday to Saturday, 11am–5pm. On the first Thursday of the month there’s Late Night Art from 6–9pm.
Golden Thread Gallery. Free contemporary art at 23–29 Queen Street, open Tue–Fri 11am–5pm and Sat 11am–4pm.
Naughton Gallery. Queen’s University’s gallery, in the Lanyon Building, with free admission. Its website gives hours of 11am–4pm. Check its site for opening days before you go.
Linen Hall Library. On Donegall Square North, with free admission (suggested donation £3). It’s open Monday to Friday, 9.30am–5.30pm.
The Dome at Victoria Square. A free 360° viewing platform, with free tours and no booking needed. It’s open Mon–Sat 10am–6pm and Sun 1pm–6pm. See our Victoria Square listing.
PRONI (weekdays). The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland in Titanic Quarter has a free ground floor, exhibitions and talks. It’s open Mon, Tue, Wed and Fri 9am–4.45pm and Thu 10am–4.45pm.
Want to spend nothing at all? Our free things to do in Belfast guide has the full list, or follow our zero-budget day out in Belfast route.
Titanic Belfast, W5 and Crumlin Road Gaol
Titanic Belfast and SS Nomadic. The Titanic Experience ticket includes SS Nomadic. Prices are £24.95 per adult online (£26.95 walk-up) and £11 per child aged 5–15 online (£13 walk-up). Under-5s go free, and a family ticket is £62 online (£68 walk-up). Student and senior tickets, Monday to Friday only, are £21.95 online (£23.95 walk-up). Entry is by timed slot. Opening hours change with the season, and last admission is 1 hour 40 minutes before closing. There’s also a Seasonal Late Saver at £20 per adult. It’s sold at the box office only, isn’t available in July or August, and covers 8 of the 10 galleries. Planning ahead? Read our how to visit Titanic Belfast guide and our Titanic Quarter guide.
W5. Part of The O2 Belfast complex. Prices start from £12.50 per adult and £10.50 per child. Family tickets start from £44 for two adults and two children, or £42 for one adult and three children, and toddlers and carers go free. Pre-booking is essential, and last admission is 2 hours before closing. On the current calendar it’s open Mon and Thu 10am–4pm and Fri–Sun 10am–6pm, and closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Check the seasonal opening hours before you go.
Crumlin Road Gaol. Allow about 90 minutes. The gaol is open Mon–Fri 10.30am–3.30pm and Sat–Sun 10am–4pm. At the door, adults pay £18.50, children aged 5–15 pay £12 and concessions pay £17, and a family ticket is £55. Book online at least a day ahead and those drop to £17.50, £10.50, £15.50 and £49.
Belfast City Hall. The 45–50 minute guided tour costs £6 per adult, and children go free but need a ticket. Tours are first come, first served at reception. The visitor exhibition is £4 per adult, free for under-18s with a ticket. The building is open Mon–Fri 9am–5pm and Sat–Sun 10am–5pm.
Distillery tours
Tastings are for over-18s only.
McConnell’s Distillery. It’s in A Wing of Crumlin Road Gaol, so you can pair it with a gaol tour. It’s open daily, 10.30am–5pm. The Signature Tour starts from £25 per person, lasts about 50 minutes and includes three drams. You must be 18 or over for the tasting.
Titanic Distillers. Open daily, 10am–6pm (last admission 5pm). The Signature tour starts from £20 and runs for 60 minutes indoors. Premium tours start from £35, and the Legacy experience is £100. The £10 Dock Tour is partly outdoors and goes down 67 steps into the dock, so save that one for a dry day.
Shows, film and the Giants
Grand Opera House. Ticket prices depend on the show. The box office is open Monday to Saturday, 10am–5pm, and closed on Sundays and bank holidays (phone 028 9024 1919).
Queen’s Film Theatre. At 20 University Square. Standard tickets are £10 per adult, £6.70 for students and £6 for LUMI members aged 16–26. Booking online adds £1 per ticket, capped at £3.
Belfast Giants at The O2 Belfast. The former SSE Arena is now The O2 Belfast; the new name was announced in July 2026. The Giants play home games there through to April 2027, with tickets sold through Ticketmaster. Our Belfast Giants season guide has the rest.
St George’s Market, the malls and the Crown Bar
St George’s Market. The covered market was built between 1890 and 1896, and it’s free to browse, so you only pay for what you buy. It’s open Fri 8am–2pm, Sat 9am–3pm and Sun 10am–3pm, with live music at the weekend (council page). Read our St George’s Market guide for when to go.
Victoria Square and CastleCourt. Both are free to wander round when the heavens open. Shops, food and cinema tickets cost money.
The Crown Bar. Cared for by the National Trust, it dates back to 1826. Inside are 10 snugs and gas lighting: a proper spot to sit out a shower. It’s a working pub, so drinks are paid.
Rainy day with kids
W5 (pre-book), the free Ulster Museum, the MAC’s free family room and Imagination Stations, the free Palm House and Tropical Ravine, and Titanic Belfast, where under-5s go free, will all keep small people busy. For more, see our family Things to Do.
Open on a Monday
Mondays are trickier. The Ulster Museum, the MAC galleries, Belfast Exposed and Golden Thread Gallery are all closed. Titanic Belfast, W5 (10am–4pm on the current calendar), Crumlin Road Gaol, McConnell’s, Titanic Distillers, the City Hall visitor exhibition, Linen Hall Library, PRONI and the Victoria Square Dome are all open on a Monday.
At a glance
| Place | Cost | Opening (check on the day) |
|---|---|---|
| Ulster Museum | Free | Tue–Sun 10am–5pm |
| Palm House / Tropical Ravine | Free | 10am–3.30pm / 10am–4pm |
| The MAC galleries | Free (£5 suggested) | Tue–Sun 11am–5pm |
| Belfast Exposed | Free | Tue–Sat 11am–5pm |
| Golden Thread Gallery | Free | Tue–Fri 11am–5pm, Sat 11am–4pm |
| Naughton Gallery | Free | 11am–4pm (check opening days) |
| Linen Hall Library | Free (£3 suggested) | Mon–Fri 9.30am–5.30pm |
| Victoria Square Dome | Free | Mon–Sat 10am–6pm, Sun 1pm–6pm |
| PRONI | Free | Mon–Fri (Thu from 10am) |
| Titanic Belfast (+ SS Nomadic) | Adult £24.95 online | Seasonal; last entry 1h40 before close |
| W5 | Adult from £12.50 | Pre-book; seasonal calendar |
| Crumlin Road Gaol | Adult £17.50 online / £18.50 door | Mon–Fri 10.30am–3.30pm, Sat–Sun 10am–4pm |
| City Hall tour / exhibition | £6 / £4 per adult | Building Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, Sat–Sun 10am–5pm |
| McConnell’s Distillery | Signature from £25 | Daily 10.30am–5pm |
| Titanic Distillers | Signature from £20 | Daily 10am–6pm |
| Queen’s Film Theatre | £10 adult / £6.70 student | Per screening |
| St George’s Market | Free to browse | Fri–Sun |
FAQs
What are the best things to do in Belfast when it’s raining?
For free, try the Ulster Museum, the Palm House and Tropical Ravine, the MAC, Belfast Exposed, Golden Thread Gallery or the Victoria Square Dome. Paid options include Titanic Belfast (with SS Nomadic), W5, Crumlin Road Gaol, a distillery tour, a show at the Grand Opera House or a Belfast Giants game at The O2 Belfast.
What can you do for free in Belfast on a rainy day?
The Ulster Museum, the Palm House and Tropical Ravine, the MAC galleries, Belfast Exposed, Golden Thread Gallery, the Naughton Gallery, Linen Hall Library (weekdays), PRONI (weekdays) and the Victoria Square Dome are all free to enter.
Is Titanic Belfast good on a rainy day?
The Titanic Experience is indoors, uses timed entry and includes SS Nomadic. Adult tickets are £24.95 online. Book ahead, and remember that last admission is 1 hour 40 minutes before closing.
What can kids do in Belfast when it rains?
W5 (pre-booking essential), the free Ulster Museum, the MAC’s free family room and Titanic Belfast, where under-5s go free.
What is open on a Monday in Belfast when it rains?
Titanic Belfast, W5 (10am–4pm on the current calendar), Crumlin Road Gaol, both distilleries, Linen Hall Library, PRONI and the Victoria Square Dome. The Ulster Museum, the MAC galleries, Belfast Exposed and Golden Thread Gallery are closed on Mondays.
Related guides
- Free things to do in Belfast
- First-time visitor guide to Belfast
- Belfast itinerary: 1-day and 2-day plans
- Belfast visit costs
- What’s On in Belfast this month and What’s On
- Indoor Things to Do and all Things to Do listings
How we checked
Prices, opening hours and free-entry claims come from each venue’s official website, checked on 3 October 2026. Seasonal hours change, so check the linked page before you travel. Where two official pages disagree, we’ve left the detail out and pointed you to the venue.
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