The Down County Museum is housed in the atmospheric 18th century jail of Downpatrick, in County Down.

The jail opened in 1796 and operated until 1830, and the restored buildings contain a variety of exhibitions and artefacts relating to the history of the county and the jail itself. Early Christian relics tell the story of Ireland's patron saint, St Patrick, who is reputed to be buried nearby in the grounds of Down Cathedral. The museum also focuses on the Normans, with artefacts from the time of the conqueror John de Courcy on display.

Visitors can venture into the 18th century cell block and see the conditions in which prisoners were kept. Life size figures represent those who were incarcerated, many of whom were involved in the 1798 Rebellion. The most famous prisoner was the United Irishman, Thomas Russell, who was hanged at the gateway in 1803. The museum also houses a range of temporary exhibitions, and the courtyard is a venue for events. There is a gift shop and café on the site, while at the back of the museum is the Mound of Down, a Bronze Age hill fort that later became the site of a Norman motte and bailey fortification.

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