MLAs say NI sports museum could boost tourism and create ‘lasting legacy’

By Claudia Savage, Press Association

MLAs have expressed support for a sports museum to create a “lasting legacy” for Northern Ireland’s sporting heroes.

UUP MLA Alan Chambers brought the motion to the Assembly, calling on the Ministers for Economy and Communities to establish a working group exploring the feasibility and appetite for the project.

Mr Chambers said Northern Ireland is “long overdue a sporting museum”.

“I recall the doubts expressed by many about the sustainability of the Titanic Centre being built in Belfast, and the requirement for 290,000 annual visitors for it to break even,” he said.

“From the moment it opened its doors in 2012, attendance figures have grown year on year, and the figure for 2024 was an amazing 900,000 visitors.

“I firmly believe that the rich sporting history we have in Northern Ireland will ensure that a sports museum becomes a major tourist attraction, with the added value of creating employment.

𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗜𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗮 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘂𝗺

Ulster Unionist MLA Alan Chambers is bringing forward a motion to the Assembly today calling on the Ministers for Economy and Communities to establish a working group, comprised of key sporting… pic.twitter.com/JSraKpVXQ2

— Ulster Unionist Party (@uuponline) February 2, 2026

“The efforts of all our sporting icons, including our para athletes, have enhanced the worldwide reputation of where we call home.

“Their successes have given our population a major lift in spirit when we sometimes needed it most.

“A museum that honours their achievements would be a lasting legacy to our local sporting heroes and would serve to motivate future generations to take up a sport and perhaps emulate our champions.

“In the words of that popular movie, Field of Dreams, ‘Build it and they will come.”

Speaking in the assembly on Monday evening, Sinn Fein MLA Colm Gildernew invited Mr Chambers to the GAA museum in Croke Park “for ideas”.

He added: “A museum here in the north which is inclusive of sports and communities, would be a significant economic boost, and would no doubt be popular with tourists and locals.”

Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland said sport has been a “shared source of pride” across communities.

“Any Sports Museum must reflect that,” she said.

“It should never elevate one sport or one community over another, but recognise the full breadth of sporting excellence across genders and backgrounds, and ensure that those stories, particularly at the grassroots level, are not lost.

“Too often success is fleetingly celebrated and then quietly archived but a Sports Museum could offer something different, a shared space for recognition, for learning and inspiration, particularly for young people who may never see themselves reflected in sport because of their background.”