Pottery and Porcelain (Ceramics)
The main strengths of the ceramics collection lie in British and European historic ceramics, Irish ceramics, Oriental and the contemporary. The British and European historic collection comprehensively documents the development of pottery and porcelain from the late 17th century. The Irish collection, which has pieces dating from the 18th century, is representative of all the major potteries in Ireland including, excavated material from the Downshire pottery, Belfast, and one of the finest collections of First Period and Second Period Belleek porcelain in the world. The Oriental collection is a small but important element of the ceramic collection that puts the European pieces into context.
The Ulster Museum, from 1982, pioneered a contemporary collecting policy within the ceramic field. As the only public collection of international contemporary ceramics in Ireland it continues to form an extensive, comprehensive and inspiring record of work being made by ceramic artists.