10 Best Museums in Dublin

Ireland's capital, Dublin, is a city that offers a rich cultural experience through its museums. These preserve the vestiges of the island's past and provide a fascinating glimpse into its identity and evolution.

Among the best things to see and do in Dublin, visiting the local museums is a must. You can explore the Irish Emigration Museum, which portrays the adventures of thousands of Irish people who left the island; the Whiskey Museum, the first of its kind in the world; the Chester Beatty Library, which houses an impressive collection of Celtic manuscripts and many more museums that I will list below.

An ideal place to discover the history of Irish emigration in an interactive way is the EPIC Irish Emigration Museum. Its rooms have amazing multimedia exhibits that narrate the adventures of thousands of Irish people who left the island.

EPIC offers an original concept that will make you feel as if you have traveled back in time. Inside the building you will find 20 themed galleries, focusing on four key aspects: migration, influence, diaspora and motivation.

The visit is an immersive experience in which you will learn about the stories, successes and challenges of the more than 10 million Irish who emigrated. You will enjoy touch screens, letters from migrants, testimonials and much more.

Plus, when you purchase tickets to EPIC, you will receive a passport that you can stamp at each gallery and take home as a souvenir. Definitely a must-see destination to include in your itinerary, whether you visit Dublin in 1 day or longer.

Information of interest

• Price: the entrance to the museum has an approximate cost of 20€. Includes skip-the-line access.
• Hours: daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
• Location: CHQ, Custom House Quay, North Dock, Dublin.

Located in a historic building in the center of Dublin, the Irish Whiskey Museum stands out for being the first of its kind in the world, making it one of the favorite destinations for tourists. This museum tells the story of this iconic Irish drink, from its origin to its resurgence.

The interactive exhibits will guide you through the process of distillation, production and aging of whiskey. In addition, you can enjoy a tasting experience with at least three varieties of whiskey, ideal to warm up the atmosphere if you are in Dublin in winter.

A highlight of the museum is the possibility of having the company of an expert during the tour, who will be available to answer any questions. This guided tour of the Irish Whiskey Museum gives you a complete overview of Irish whiskey.

Information of interest

• Price: the value of the guided tour to this museum starts at 26€ per person.
• Hours: The Irish Whiskey Museum is open from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, approximately.
• Location: 119 Grafton Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.

With a deep-rooted brewing culture, Dublin is home to one of its finest examples in the Guinness Storehouse. This 200-year-old former brewery and distillery is now also a major museum showcasing the history of the iconic Guinness beer.

The interior of the building has a series of audio-visual displays through which you can explore the making of Guinness stout. You'll see everything from the selection of ingredients to the fermentation process.

Other things you'll see in the exhibition rooms of this beer museum include the following:

• Some artifacts: old preserving vats, the pipes and machines.
• The 9,000-yearlease, signed by Arthur Guinness in 1759.
• The exhibition of advertising posters dating from 1929, with famous slogans such as "Guinness is good for you" or "My Goodness, my Guinness."

In addition, the museum has a souvenir store and on the top floor, the Gravity Bar, which provides a 360º view of the city. All of these areas are accessible when purchasing tickets to the Guinness Storehouse.

Information of interest

• Price: Tickets to the Guinness Storehouse are priced at approximately €30 per person.
• Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday (10:00 am to 7:00 pm). Friday and Saturday (10:00 to 20:00). Last access is two hours before closing time.
• Location: St. James's Gate, Dublin 8, Dublin.

Known as the Chester Beatty Library, this iconic Dublin city landmark is actually a major museum. Its interior houses important cultural and religious treasures from Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. All of them were donated by the collector Sir Alfred Chester Beatty.

The museum is composed of two galleries, each of which occupies an entire floor of the building. In the first, you'll see displays of art, engravings, miniatures and many other pieces, such as collections of Chinese jade books, Mongolian Imperial Court miniatures, Japanese vessels and more.

Meanwhile, the second floor gallery is dedicated to world religions, such as Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Christianity and Judaism. There you will find papyri from 1100 BC, a Koran from the ninth century, copies of the Old Testament, among other things.

This museum is located in the city center, right inside Dublin Castle, one of the castles you have to see if you go to Dublin. In addition, it is incorporated into the route of the best tourist buses, so access to it will not be a problem.

Information of interest

• Price: admission is free.
• Opening hours: Monday to Saturday from 9:45 am to 5:30 pm, except on Wednesdays, when the closing time is extended to 8:00 pm. Sundays from 12:00 to 17:30.
• Location: Dublin Castle, Dublin 2, D02 AD92.

Trinity College is Ireland's longest established university, founded by Queen Elizabeth I in 1592. Apart from continuing to be an important academic campus, it also houses one of the most interesting tourist destinations: the library museum with the famous Book of Kells and other religious manuscripts.

The main attraction of this museum is undoubtedly the Book of Kells, whose origin dates from around 800. This national treasure was handwritten by the Celtic monks of Kells and shows, through detailed drawings, how ancient monastic life was in Ireland.

In addition to this medieval work of historical and cultural importance, the museum also has other exhibits. Such is the case of some illuminated manuscripts in which you will see the Gospels. In addition, there are some explanations about their origin.

Certainly, this is a must-see destination that you can incorporate in your itinerary of 2 days in Dublin or more. You can visit on your own or join a guided experience, such as a private tour of the Book of Kells and the Old Town.

Information of interest

• Price: Access to the library museum starts at £13 per person.
• Hours: between April and September the museum is open Monday to Saturday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, and on Sunday from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm. But, if you are in Dublin in October and until March, the museum will be open Monday to Saturday from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
• Location: College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland.

Irish folklore has a special place in the Leprechaun Museum. Opened in 2010, this museum tells the story of the popular leprechaun, a friendly leprechaun in a green suit who, for centuries, left the depths of the sea to live in the emerald isle.

This museum is like a magical world on a grand scale that will make you feel like a little man. The rooms are structured by chapters, where you will see an amazing wishing well, giant furniture, lush forests, among other fantastic scenarios.

You will discover many stories of this mythical Irish character, which will allow you to approach the local culture in a fun way. And, after this interesting museum, you can take advantage of its location in the city center to join a guided tour and see some of Dublin's best monuments.

Information of interest

• Price: the value of daytime admission is about € 18 per person, while the cost of night access corresponds to about € 20 per person.
• Hours: daily from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm. If you plan to visit at night, then the opening hours are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 19:00 to 20:00.
• Location: Twilfit House, Jervis Street, Dublin 1.

The National Museum of Archaeology in Dublin first opened its doors in 1890. It is a place of great historical and cultural importance, whose rooms preserve an extraordinary evolutionary display of Irish civilization from the Mesolithic period to medieval Ireland.

The museum has seven galleries distributed throughout the building. On the first floor, you will see some prehistoric artifacts and objects: tombs from the Neolithic period, tools and weapons made of stone, steel and bronze, small reconstructed farms, among other finds from around 7000 BC.

You will also see objects made of gold, glass vessels and pottery from the Bronze Age, among other things. And, on the upper floor, you will find an exhibition with amazing recreations of the year 795 A.D., related to the life of the Vikings who came to the island.

Information of interest

• Price: admission is free.
• Hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday to Monday from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
• Location: 35A Kildare St, Dublin 2, D02 YK38.

In the former military barracks Collins Barracks, built in 1702, is the headquarters of the National Museum of Decorative Arts in Dublin. The rooms of this imposing neoclassical building display priceless objects that tell their own story of the cultural, economic and military history of the Irish island.

The museum offers thematic exhibits that are well organized and properly identified, which facilitates the tour. Throughout the galleries, you will see objects from different periods of Irish history: wooden artifacts made by Irish craftsmen, antique furniture, silver collections, scientific instruments, etc.

There are also some permanent exhibits such as:

The exhibition "How we used to dress", with clothing from 18th and 20th century Ireland.
The exhibition Soldiers and Chiefs, which shows what Irish military life was like between 1550 and the 21st century, but from the soldiers' perspective.

During the year, the museum offers special activities such as origami and painting workshops, which are ideal if you are in Dublin with children. Also, cultural evenings, guided tours with sign interpreter, among other things.

Information of interest

• Price: admission is free.
• Hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday to Monday from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
• Location: Collins Barracks, Benburb St, Dublin, D07 XKV4.

Another of the best museums in the Irish capital is the Wax Museum, located in a former Lafayette building that once served as an armory. The museum offers an exhibition area of approximately 13,000 square meters, organized thematically.

The rooms of the museum are filled with life-size figures, handmade with wax. Irish historical figures, cartoons, singers, athletes, writers and much more. You will also find some fun interactive attractions such as the video studio, the mixing studio, among others.

Some of the rooms in the museum are as follows:

• The History of Ireland room, with exhibits ranging from the Bronze Age to the present day.
• The Writers' Room, where you will meet the most famous Irish writers such as Oscar Wilde, William Yeats, among others.
• The Great Hall, with characters such as Agent 007, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jack Nicholson, the members of the Irish band U2, among others.
• The fantasy world, where you will see Peter Pan, the Simpsons and Santa Claus sleeping in a comfortable bed, waiting for the Christmas season to begin in Dublin.

Information of interest

• Price: The entrance fee is around 18€ per person. Children under 12 pay about €13.
• Hours: the museum is open daily from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm.
• Location: Lafayette Building, 22-25 Westmoreland St, Temple Bar, Dublin 2.

In the oldest classical building in Ireland, the Royal Kilmainham Hospital, is located since 1991 the Irish Museum of Modern Art, also known as IMMA. Its extensive collection consists of over 4,500 works by Irish and international artists.

The permanent and temporary collections are displayed throughout a series of rooms that once housed Irish soldiers. You will see interesting displays of both modern and contemporary art: paintings, sculptures, photographs and audiovisual works.

The museum not only offers art collections ranging from the 1940s to the present day. It also has beautiful grounds that are worth a visit if the timing of your 3-day Dublin itinerary or longer allows. You will discover a medieval cemetery, garden and meadow.

Information of interest

• Price: admission is free.
• Hours: Tuesday to Friday 11:30 am to 5:30 pm, Saturday 10:00 am to 5:30 pm and Sunday 12:00 pm to 5:30 pm. Closed on Mondays.
• Location: Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Military Road, Kilmainham, Dublin 8.