Official tourism website for Northern Ireland
En

Nautilus Centre

Nautilus Centre, Rooney Road, Kilkeel, Co Down, BT34 4AX
Nautilus Centre

Book Tickets Online

About

The Nautilus Centre overlooks Kilkeel's busy and picturesque fishing port and houses the Mourne Maritime Visitor Centre, Kilkeel Visitor Information Centre, Tracing Your Mourne Roots Exhibition and the Mourne Seafood Cookery School.

Mourne Maritime Visitor Centre
This is the focal point of the building and tells the story of the local fishing and maritime heritage, with touch screen technology. There is also a reconstruction of a wheelhouse where children both young and old can have a go at being a skipper and learn about life on board.

The “Anna” skiff is also on display, which was the pride of the herring fleet when Kilkeel was also home to tall ships that carried granite and grain to ports all over the UK and Ireland. Whatever the weather you can sit and enjoy panoramic views of Kilkeel harbour.

The Families at Sea exhibition is a great way to trace your relatives, with the fishing and maritime histories of over 20 local families on display. There are over 100 photos and details on display of those registered who were connected to fishing or were mariners at the beginning of the 19th century.

There is also a gift shop which has a range of nautical gifts, oils, scarfs and jewellery.

Tracing Your Mourne Roots Exhibition.
This project is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and aims to showcase the history and heritage of Kilkeel and the wider Mourne area from 1800 to present day. So come and visit the Tracing Your Mourne Roots exhibition in the Nautilus Centre and become a time traveller in Mourne! A great day out for everyone, young and old.

The project is also currently gathering information on local graveyards within Kilkeel to create an online database which will allow you the chance to access the information to find out if your relatives are buried in the area. To view the list of names please visit: www.tracingyourmourneroots.com.

Lift and Stair access available.

Book Tickets

Facilities

Attraction Facilities

  • Gift Shop
  • Guided Tours Available
  • Open Mondays

Establishment Features

  • Accept coach parties
  • Toilets

Leisure Facilities

  • Wifi

Parking & Transport

  • On site parking

Payment Methods

  • All major credit/debit cards accepted
  • Euros accepted

Provider Preferences

  • Free (parking charges may apply)

Guide Prices

Both the Mourne Maritime Visitor Centre and the Tracing Your Mourne Roots Exhibition are free, so why not come along and take a look back to what it was like many years ago and possibly find out a bit of your family history along the way.

Add Nautilus Centre to your Itinerary

Close window

Call direct on:

Tel+44 (0) 28 4176 2525

Map & Directions

Opening Times

* Easter – End of October: Monday – Saturday 09:00 – 17:00 (Closed 13:00 - 13.30 for Lunch)
November – Easter: Monday – Friday 09:00 – 17:00 (Closed 13:00 - 13:30 for Lunch)

What's Nearby

  1. Provides a first class service for visitors to Northern Ireland and for local residents.

    0.13 miles away
  2. Cranfield West offers a gently sloping, mainly sandy beach located at the entrance to…

    3.72 miles away
  3. The Silent Valley Reservoir was built to gather water from the Mourne Mountains and is…

    4.2 miles away
  4. Commanding the mouth of Carlingford Lough, the Castle has an eventful history. It was…

    4.31 miles away
  5. Annalong Cornmill has been beatifully restored and is situated by the pretty Annalong…

    5.21 miles away
  6. Kilbroney Park Forest features riverside walks and an arboretum. There is a two-mile…

    8.24 miles away
  7. 'Cill Bhronaigh', or Bronagh’s Church (12th century), is located in the graveyard just…

    8.33 miles away
  8. "Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea" (Percy French)
    The popular song has…

    9.16 miles away
  9. Our play farm offers a huge indoor soft play area with four dragon slides and a massive…

    10.29 miles away
  10. Goward Dolmen is situated approx 0.4km south of the B8 Castlewellan/Hilltown road on the…

    11.2 miles away
  11. Sand & pebble beach located on the south down coast.

    11.43 miles away
  12. Covering an area of almost 630 hectares at the foot of the Mourne mountains, Tollymore…

    11.51 miles away
  13. Excellent example of a tower-house and bawn built about 1568 at a point where the Newry…

    11.98 miles away
  14. Maghera Church and Round Tower is of major historical importance and is among many…

    12.85 miles away
  15. This 5 mile stretch of golden sands is still the essence of the resort and is hugely…

    12.99 miles away
  16. Murlough National Nature Reserve is a fragile 6000 year old sand dune system owned by the…

    13.59 miles away

Virtual Tour

Map & Directions

Road Directions

Directions from Town:
1/4 mile from Kilkeel village

Back to Top

Tourism Northern Ireland

Don't Miss