A small but well-curated museum that walks you through the founding of the town in 1670, the planned X-shaped layout of 1775, the famine, and the lace-making tradition that put Kenmare on the map in the nineteenth century. The displays are old-school — text panels, glass cases, the occasional reconstruction — but they cover an unusual amount of ground in a couple of rooms.
The centre also serves as the tourist information office and is the easiest place in town to pick up walking maps, suggestions for day trips, and details on the local craft trail. Free admission; closed in the depths of winter.