- New interpretation has been installed at the Belfast Assembly Rooms
- 29 trilingual panels cover English, Irish and Ulster Scots
- The scheme traces history from the 18th century to the present
- A ghost sign was revealed during façade works
- World Monuments Fund is collecting memories and photographs
Belfast City Council and World Monuments Fund have installed new exterior interpretation at the Assembly Rooms, bringing its people, history and architectural significance to life. The scheme comprises 29 trilingual panels in English, Irish and Ulster Scots. Ongoing research and conservation have revealed new aspects of the building’s history.
Earlier in 2026, Belfast City Council partnered with World Monuments Fund on a conservation project to safeguard the Assembly Rooms. The project included a conservation management plan by Belfast-based James Grieve Architects. The plan provides a framework for the building’s future conservation, maintenance and sustainable use. Research informed the interpretative scheme, which traces the historical development of the building from the 18th century to the present day. The interpretation begins with its establishment as an Exchange, or market hall, and its evolution into the Assembly Rooms at the heart of Georgian Belfast’s social scene. It continues through its later use as the headquarters of the Belfast Banking Company until the bank’s closure in 2000.
The remedial façade works revealed new aspects of the building, including a ghost sign, a fading hand-painted sign that offers a glimpse into its past use. The interpretation highlights seminal figures associated with the building, including Dr James McDonnell (1763 to 1845) and Martha McTier (1742 to 1837). A collaboration with the Royal Society of Ulster Architects showcases three architects who shaped the building. World Monuments Fund is collecting memories, photographs and stories to help reveal the building’s more recent past.
James Grieve shared “The research has revealed just how many layers of Belfast’s history are contained within the Assembly Rooms.”
