Venue

Aerial view of the Lanyon Building (Courtesy of Queen’s University Belfast)

The main venue for the conference is Queen’s University Belfast which was founded by Royal Charter in 1845 during the reign of Queen Victoria. Queen’s College Belfast was established, along with colleges at Cork and Galway, under the Irish Colleges Act 1845. The architect Charles Lanyon was appointed the architect for the college and, after much debate, the site beside the Botanic Gardens was selected for the new building. The foundation stone was laid on 30th December 1845 and the building, now known as the Lanyon Building, was constructed between 1846 and 1849 by Sir Charles Lanyon, who was also responsible for designing other Belfast landmarks such as Belfast Castle, the Palm House in Botanic Gardens as well as the infamous Crumlin Road Gaol and the Customs House. The Lanyon Building sits at the heart of the University campus and is the focal point of the Queen’s Conservation Area, the first one to be designated in Belfast.

Botanic Gardens (Courtesy of Eileen Murphy)

Directly beside the main Queen's campus, the Botanic Gardens is great for a short stroll, a wander around the Victorian Palm House or a lie on the grass. A hive of activity and a riot of colour in the summer months, the Gardens are immaculately maintained all year round and are home to numerous varieties of trees, bushes, shrubs and flowers. Situated within Botanic Gardens is the Ulster Museum, whose initial building, designed by James Cumming Wynne, was opened in 1929. A major construction project in the late 1960s saw the addition of the Brutalist extension designed by Francis Pym. Museum exhibitions include Prehistoric Ireland, Saints and Scholars, and The Troubles and Beyond.

Ulster Museum (Courtesy of National Museums NI)

You can read more about the history and heritage of Queen’s and explore the different architectural features of the historic Lanyon Building at the links below:

How to get there:

Queen’s University Belfast