Closed on Mondays
Young Martha had her first train journey today and her first visit to Belfast. Her entourage numbered eight and consisted of a parent, grandparents, a brace of aunts and the ultimate uncle. Her intended destination was the newly refurbished
Ulster Museum.
Now if you have clicked on that link, and I hope you did, I would like to inform you that the report is misleading. Perhaps
dozens did turn up, if you number dozens in double figures. During the short time that we were there I saw nearly a hundred people come to the entrance door to be disappointed. We certainly weren't the only party to have missed the memo about Monday closure. But the museum will not be closed on Bank Holiday Mondays. You'd think that they might have considered that people would be keen to visit during half-term holidays as well.
I will go again, but next time I'll be consulting the website before I buy a train ticket.
And how did Baby Martha handle her disappointment? She displayed great forbearance and stoicism.
Postscript
Since writing this, it appears that the
Ulster Museum people acknowledge that today was a bit of a debacle. Among the people I chatted to outside the museum today were tourists from the United States who were tremendously disappointed to find the doors closed. We Ulster people can come again any day (other than Mondays) but it was their one chance as their itineraries are set.
Closed on Mondays
