National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street

The National Museum of Ireland is free of charge. The architecture of the building is beautiful! There are a variety of displays to see, but I ended up being more interested in the building and the architecture. If you come here, plan on spending 2-3 hours checking out all the displays.

Loved the museum! It's beautiful! Our guide was knowledgeable and very friendly. I learned a lot! The exhibits told the story. Would love to come back!

Really worth visiting, history lives there, nice exhibitions, art and design exhibits, the whole sailing boat and free entry! Only pay for parking which is expensive and right on the grounds, and cheap (5 euro for 4 hours or 10 euro for the whole day) and Cafe on the grounds to have a break (sweet and savory things too). Visit would take a few hours and there are guided excursions there too. But talk to staff, they'll tell you superb stories of their own about the place.

Super cool! Great place to start with the history of Ireland and all the megalithic sites we will see. Appreciate that entrance is based on donation. Was able to fill just the right amount of time while waiting for our rooms to be ready.

great, free place! it was amazing and as an irish american, i was felt with such a sense of pride seeing all of the artifacts. there are bog bodies, an exhibit on the Vikings, lots of bronze age gold pieces, and even an exhibit for ancient Egypt. the building is also beautiful itself.

There’s so much to see! The museums hold so many ancient items, some over 5,000 years old, preserved incredibly well. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in Dublin.

I learned so much from this museum! As a person who did not know much about Irish history, this museum alone brought my understanding to a deeper level. It is a really interesting museum and we spent about 2 hours here. I highly recommend visiting this museum during your trip to Dublin, plus the National Gallery is just around the corner to visit too!

It was a quiet Tuesday morning in Dublin, or as quiet as a city can be when seagulls the size of sheep patrol the skies and every other taxi driver has a conspiracy theory about the Vikings. But inside the National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology on Kildare Street, something truly *extraordinary* was about to unfold. Now, this isn’t your average museum. No sir. This fine institution, opened in 1890, is home to ancient treasures like the Ardagh Chalice, the Tara Brooch, and bog bodies so well preserved they look like they’ve just queued for a pint at the pub. But on this day, while the curator was sipping his third cup of tea and giving a lecture on Iron Age hair gel (spoiler: it was lime), the ground beneath the Early Christian Ireland exhibit began to wobble. “Jaysus, not another Viking curse,” muttered Mary from Security, clutching her walkie-talkie like a holy relic. Suddenly, with a gloopy *splorp*, a large, wobbling gelatinous blob oozed its way out from beneath the floor. It was shimmering pink and suspiciously smelled like raspberry. “Is that… jelly?” asked a bewildered American tourist, pointing as the blob wobbled dangerously close to the bog bodies. Indeed it was. It turns out that due to a mix-up between ancient preservation techniques and a rogue shipment of expired aspic from the museum café, the museum’s temperature controls had triggered an alchemical reaction. The bog bodies had fermented. And from their noble juices, a sentient jelly had been born. The blob—nicknamed “Seamus the Slurp” by the museum staff—wasn’t malevolent. In fact, Seamus had a passion for Bronze Age weaponry and could often be found gently jiggling beside the famous Gleninsheen Gorget, humming the tune of “The Fields of Athenry.” Tourists loved him. Children tried to feed him Jaffa Cakes. The Taoiseach declared it “a new era of Irish blob-diplomacy.” Historians were divided. One group claimed Seamus was a living metaphor for Ireland’s rich, gooey history. Another theorized he was a reincarnated druid who had skipped a few stages of the afterlife and landed in dessert form. But tragedy struck when someone accidentally sat on Seamus, mistaking him for a novelty bean bag. A national day of mourning was declared. The River Liffey was dyed raspberry pink in his honor. Today, if you visit the National Museum of Ireland on Kildare Street, you’ll find a small shrine in the Viking exhibit—a humble bowl of jelly, lovingly wobbled once an hour by a staff member with a spoon. And remember, when walking through the hallowed halls of Ireland’s past, keep an eye on your dessert. History has a way of wiggling back. --- **Historical Footnote (real bits!):** * The museum *did* open in 1890. * It houses treasures like the Ardagh Chalice, Tara Brooch, and bog bodies like “Clonycavan Man” (whose Iron Age hair gel included imported French pine resin). * No actual jelly invasions… yet.

Absolutely incredible museum in the heart of Dublin! Entry is free and you could easily spend an hour or two here. I specifically came here to see the bog bodies however, I was blown away by the ancient artifacts spanning from spears from the Bronze Age to hoards of gold to jewelry from the 1800s. I was seriously in awe of everything on display. The layout of each display is chronological so you really feel like you're moving through time as you walk through the museum. Each display has plenty of informative descriptions as well. The bog bodies were displayed in a separate room, each with their own little cubicle-like rooms that almost felt like stepping into tombs. As much as I find bog bodies fascinating, I was glad to see this part of the museum displayed with such care and respect. The vibe in the room was very somber and stoic, almost like attending a funeral. I was glad to see so much thought put into a display that could otherwise be very jarring. I definitely recommend adding this spot to your list of places to visit in Dublin!

A must see museum! Free entry and exceptional exhibits tracing the complete history of Ireland. Incredible displays of gold from the Viking age. This museum also contains the mummified remains of several men found in peat bogs. These are not exhibits you'll see at the average museum (caution for parents with small children)! Overall cleanliness: excellent Bathroom cleanliness: above average Time budget: budget at least 2 hours! Misc: free wifi; no water fountains for drinking water

What an amazing find! Free museum with lots of hidden gems of Ireland. This museum is so vast that it took 1.5 days and still there was more to explore. It can get overwhelming with the sure volume of things to see and read, but highly recommend. Free museum with free WiFi and clean bathrooms.

Free admission?! Wonderful. There were chairs in random spots which was nice because I needed a break from all the standing. There was a lot of cool stuff on display like amber beads, goldsmith, stones, ceramics, bog bodies, etc. It was really interesting to see Irish history from ancient times to the Viking times to the encroachment of the English with Henry II. I do think that the few videos they play could be updated though. -1 star: Bathrooms smelled like fresh cat litter and only three stalls. The gift shop didn't have much that was specific to the museum. It was mostly stuff that you could find at other tourist Dublin, Ireland gift shops. I want people to know that I was at this specific museum.

Wonderful museum and great experience. Entry is free, and you can easily spend an hour or more viewing the exhibits. Lovely little gift shop as well where donations are accepted. I was able to purchase a claddagh ring and a few other small gifts. Tons of coffee shops nearby if you're looking for a treat afterwards. Would definitely recommend.

This was our first museum tour in Ireland and it was excellent, we could have spent so much more time exploring the exhibits but our itenery was too full. This is free entrance, but there is a donation case there, please drop a donation,

Wonderful museum and the bog people just, Wow! Up archaeology!, really well done and great simple explanations for everything without over explaining.

I visited the museum at an odd time, when sites were starting to open up to tourists. I had just come from the Book of Kells exhibit, and I was trying to fit several sites in during my one-day layover on the way to Spain. I chose the National Museum of Ireland for one reason and one reason only: bog people. Ever since I read about them in National Geographic, I've been intrigued by the idea of the mummified remains found in the peat bogs of Ireland. Of course, the museum has other exhibits such as Viking Ireland, Ancient Egypt, and Ireland's Gold. These were all interesting to peruse but I didn't have a lot of time since I got there right before the museum was going to close. I found the bog bodies in the Kingship and Sacrifice exhibit. You walk down a slightly sloped ramp in a spiral until you come upon a glass case with the body on display. It was fascinating and a little creepy to see the bodies in person. Maybe I'm remembering this wrong, but I believe there were no photos allowed and I honored that, especially considering I wanted to be respectful of the bodies. If I had more time, I could have spent an entire afternoon browsing the collections. As it were, I was short on time and the museum seemed to be short on staff. There was no one there to answer questions or give directions. There were very few visitors, which was both sad and eerie. I hope to visit Dublin again so that I can return and spend more time here. Note that online reservations were necessary in Sept 2021. This may not be the case now, but if in doubt, check first.

A must-do activity and Dublin! The entry is free and there's lots exhibitions to see and learned about. Definitely give yourself a couple of hours to work your way though the each exhibit on both floors.

Pretty standard museum. I appreciate that it is free of charge. However, they could use better signage for the entrance as it is directly next to Parliament and I followed the "visitor" signs which led me into the wrong building. I assume most people go here to see the bog bodies and it was quite confusing which exhibit they were located in.

I really enjoyed this museum. We are "museum people"- whatever that means, so there's that to consider about this review. First, the bog bodies are amazing. It's a bit sad, and might upset young children, but it is absolutely fascinating- and the corpses on display here really humanize the past. The artefacts are also fascinating. Equally amazing- The Tresury- the Viking gold, the older gold objects- lunula, torcs (also spelled torqs or torques), offering items, sleeve and cloak clasps, pins, chalices, earrings, bracelets- you name it. Really gorgeous stuff. It's a smallish place, and the upper story may not please people who think it's going to be the Smithsonian- but I just loved it. Do check out the tiles around the fire places, the carved doors, the gorgeous mosaic under your feet! It's lovely. The cafe also has a nice selection of treats and food and drinks, and the gift shop is very nice, if a bit small. And best of all, it's FREE. So if you find out you are not a museum person, you can leave- you're not a prisoner. It's just around the corner from the National gallery and also just down from St Stephen's Green- a lovely park.

Unlike the National Gallery of Ireland, which is a collection of artwork, the National Museum of Ireland is about Ireland and Irish history. The collections here acknowledge the history of the island and the people and the country throughout the ages. Neatly cut into sections, including the beaker people and their work with gold, through the Viking times, and then weapons and artifacts through the Roman times, there's a tremendous amount of materials here. Many of them are open for touch. And many are not. About two hours is the minimum amount of time you'll need here, but if you want to do it right, expect about four or five. Hooray, photography without flash IS permitted!

This museum is so awesome. It's not a big one but it's such a decent place to learn about the rich history of Ireland. I think there are two things that are most impressive at this museum and I swear that you will never find them in other history museums - the special bod body exhibit and the pie with beef stew in Guinness served in the museum café. The good news is that the café and the bod body exhibit are next to each other and if you find one, you won't miss the other..... The bod body exhibit is not scary at all but quite amazing as those human remains were kept so well and the details of the bodies are still so observable. In the beginning, I felt very sad for those people who died so brutally but when I looked through the entire exhibit, especially because how the exhibit was organized and displayed, I actually felt a lot of respect and humanity - they are part of the history, the human history, and they are part of us. Well, the brightest side about human in this museum is its café. It's a very small and old school café and decorations look like in the 80s. When I stepped in, I was so hesitant because I was afraid that this café is too simple to have a good meal and I would only stay in Ireland for a few days so I didn't want to waste any meal. It was the variety of food at the display counter attracted me to sit down. Those dishes looked so fresh, colorful and delicious. It turned out that the pie of beef stew in Guinness is the best one I had in Dublin, even better than the one I had in a restaurant. It was just so delicious that I event started pretending I were a honorable guest to Ireland and I was having its national dish. Isn't it this kind of feeling the best thing for traveling!

I came to the Archeology Museum specifically to see the Bog People exhibit. Last year when I visited, I arrived on one of the few days the museum was closed. Although I came for the Bog People exhibit, I ended up staying much longer to visit the entire museum. Very interesting and well laid out. Small cafe to rest the feet. Plenty of sitting places throughout the museum.

This is one of our absolute to-do's whenever we are in Dublin, makes for a perfect half-day outing or longer, if you find Irish history and artifacts super fascinating. We typically spend 3 hours here, plus a visit to the cute café. Bog people were the top attraction most recently, now that my children are a bit older. Beautifully maintained space, spots to rest if needed, a perfect museum!

Great exhibits, and even better value: FREE. I walked the museum while I waited for check in time at my hotel. It's pretty easy to get to via public transportation (bus or tram), and easy to make your way through thoroughly within two hours. Also did I mention it's free? They do have a donation till at the front, but you're welcome to roam around for no money at all.

I spent two hours here and it was clearly not enough time. There's so much to see. I really enjoy wandering around this type of museum and hope I can visit again in the future. I enjoyed seeing all the Bronze Age displays, the gold jewelry, the long boat, the bog people displays, and the Iron Age weapons. If your interest is in archaeology, then you need at least a day here.

Visited this museum on cultural night so we got the late night entry . They have a variety of collections, including Ireland and Vikings. Spent time looking at the big body collection...very intriguing display which reveals a lot of the hierarchical societies of the past and subsequent death practices . There's much more to see, but that was where I spent most of my time.

If I'm going to be honest my favourite type of museums to visit are always archaeology type museums. I mean remember Indiana Jones? Who didn't want to be Indiana Jones scavenging for lost artefacts and fights Nazis? Okay well I don't think any of the archaeologists here had had to fight Nazis or you know had the same high levels of life threatening danger that Indiana Jones did. Still there are some really cool exhibits here. A big part of the museum is all about Viking artefacts. Coming from Canada (the part of Canada the Vikings didn't get to) seeing these artefacts is pretty awesome, and there is a lot of artefacts. Many are in excellent condition. But there's more to this museum than Vikings. There is also some great artefacts from the Neolithic and bronze age. One interesting exhibit features the bog bodies dug up from County Meath and County Offaly. These date back to the Iron age and until I came here had no idea they existed. There's also lots of artefacts from Ireland after the Vikings in the early Christian and Medieval periods. Lot's of Celtic items, which is pretty much a given being that this is in Ireland. Visiting this museum is like being on a treasure hunt (but you know you can't take any of these items home with you). The museum is free and definitely worth stopping into for an hour or so.

No trip to any European country is complete without visiting a few museums. For those that are interested in Irish history a few exhibitions in Dublin are a must - the Book of Kells in Trinity College, this museum and Kilmainham Gaol for modern Irish history. The National Museum of Ireland is a collection of four museums that span Irish history through a central theme, which is featured in the museum's name. The museum on Kildare Street is focused on archaeology with a primary focus on history before the Viking Age, though there are two exhibits on the upper level that focus on Viking and Medieval Ireland. All of the museums under the National Museum of Ireland umbrella are free. To plan your visit keep in mind the hours of 10am-5pm Tues-Sat and 2pm-5pm on Sundays. The museum is closed on Mondays. With any museum it is easy to get lost in the artifacts as it is the artifacts that tell the story. With so many artifacts spread out over the course of its exhibits one can get the feeling of "museum fatigue". Take your time - allot at least three hours if you want to get through its two floors or spread out your visit over several days. I did the museum on a self-guided tour using Rick Steves' Ireland to help me navigate through the exhibitions. In retrospect this guidebook is the best way to navigate the museums, especially the exhibitions on the first floor (https://www.museum.ie/NationalMuseumIreland/media/Guidebooks/1_Archaeology/ks_guide_web_en.pdf). I wish I had known about this guide when I visited, this would've made my museum experience less daunting. LOWER LEVEL - with limited time stick to the exhibitions on this level. Most of the renowned artifacts are here. 1. Prehistoric Ireland: This exhibition traces artifacts from the three prehistoric periods - Stone, Bronze and Iron Age. A temporary exhibition explores the excavation of the mounds of the Hill of Tara, a passage tomb (a form of burial akin to Newgrange) 2. Ór - Ireland's Gold: This exhibit features one of the greatest collections of Bronze Age gold in Europe. The collection is divided into two eras - early and late Bronze Age. The earlier period is primary of two types: convex discs attached to a garment and lunulae, crescent-shaped neck ornaments. The later period had more complex metalworking techniques such as making gold wire into hair ornaments or pendants. 3. The Treasury: The museum's most well-known artifacts are located here. Among the artifacts are the Ardagh Chalice, the Derrynaflan Chalice, Tara Brooch and several pages of the Faddan More Psalter. 4. Kingship & Sacrifice: Exhibition with the famous bog bodies. You can find information on this method of preservation as well as the remains of Clonycavan Man and Oldcroghan Man. UPPER LEVEL - no wheelchair access 5. Viking Ireland: This exhibition explores the Viking Age in Ireland through surviving objects - including objects from Viking graves of the 9th and 10th centuries and from settlement sites of the 10th to 12th centuries. The Cross of Cong is from this time period. 6. Medieval Ireland: This exhibition is divided into three sections - Power, Work and Prayer based on the contemporary view of medieval European society of the division of labor. "Power" deals with the artifacts of the nobility, "Prayer" explores the artifacts of the clergy while "Work" focuses on the economic and social life of the secular, non-noble society. 8. Clontarf 1014: a detailed temporary exhibition that talks about Brian Boru driving out the pagan Vikings in Ireland and established Christianity. It explores the myths about this battle and breaks down what really happened. Given enough time to explore this museum the National Museum of Archaeology is a great survey of Irish history from the prehistoric period up until the medieval ages. For someone who didn't pay much attention to European history in high school I had a very in-depth history lesson presented to me through artifacts. Though this was not my favorite museum in Dublin this is by far the most informative as well as the museum with a large amount of artifacts from all over the country.

A really good place to come if you want to learn more about of Irelan's history. This museum has a lot of material about the Indepence of our country. Highly recommend!!! And also is free admission

I loved it so much in i got there late so only had 30 mins but cudda easily been there all day. Didnt get to see the tara broche but will nxt time. The bog bodies where amazing to see them so well preserved. The place was visually stunning and a nice restaurant so much ti see and read about and see irelands ancient jewellery makers and thr ancient ways we actuallt lived the long canoe was amazing and all the artifacts that have been found on irish soil. Great to see it all so well presented in a fantastic way il deffo be back to have a long day of nerdisim and check out all thats on offer in it. Follow the path and see the amazing trinkets and pieces we should be proud of our history and the craftsmenship we had even in such an ancint time.

Went there with the family and was pleasantly surprised. The Good: First, the museum is free admission, but it does accept donations. So, please be generous with your donation to keep this gen free of charge. Second, there is a great exhibit about the gold and silver in Ireland BC. Third, there is a great display of mummies from the big - utterly fascinating. The Bad: The big mummies freaked out one of my kids. Warning - these are real mummies and not plaster. It's pretty graphic so if this will give you or a child nightmares, skip it The Ugly: Absolutely nothing. This was a great museum. Also, I can't say enough about the kindness and generosity of the staff.

This FREE museum was quite interesting. The biggest attraction, for me at least, was the bog people exhibit. The Viking exhibit was an easy 2nd place. Although this museum is not huge, it holds quite a variety of exhibits and is very accessible.

Free, tis free! I think it's a great mix of eras and styles of history. It takes you through Irish history AD to BC with a smattering of other countries like Egypt. I have to say that the bog people are the best, so freakishly cool. I stood outside the exhibit for a good 30 minutes until I got self conscious that the people in the control room were laughing at me through their security camera. "Here lads, check out yer one!" "Feck sake, does she fancy them." "Hahaha! Jaysus she must have plenty of cobwebs." "Feckin AD groupie!" "Hahahaha!" Whatever, I'm cultured.

My Grand pappy used to say (in his serious voice) "If you want to understand something you must know where it's been". I know so wise. So my thought is what a better way to do that than a museum?! Honestly, I think you should spend time in one when you travel anyways or even back at home. It's the quickest and coolest way to learn some history and at your own pace I might add. NMIA is filled with objects from Irish history. They exhibit items unearthed from the stone age, iron age, bronze age and medieval Ireland. Plus, they have an Egyptian exhibit upstairs which includes a wrapped up mummy. It was all pretty cool but I'll admit they might need to modernize the place a lot. Then again there is something to be said about old school museums. The detail in the design and architecture is really neat, almost worth checking out just for that. Overall I would come back, and who knows maybe there is something I missed. Located pretty near the city centre, the neighborhood is nice, they say no photo's but you can (just no flash), and best part it's FREE. Not one single Euro. Think of it like a treasure hunt of Ireland's past. It might make you feel a more at home. Enjoy!

Note to self: Go more often into a museum - especially this. It's only my second time here and I didn't have enough time to look at everything so I am planning to come back soon. And there is a lot to see, read and learn. It's simply impressive to see what people thousands of years ago where able to create with just simple tools and obviously by hand. The explanations are mostly short but sufficient. More background information was in the Kingship and Sacrifice exhibition which is about bog bodies. The building itself is basically worth coming here on its own actually. And their cafe is run by Brambles so you can expect quality food while having a break from all the impressions.

Free History! Part Two! The Archaeology museum is probably a bit more interesting in my mind than the Natural History museum. As such, we decided to spend a bit more time here. The bog bodies are an amazement worth seeing for yourself. The viking history was pretty cool to me. Seeing how the current culture was shaped by the past is a neat thing to do as a tourist, at least in my mind. Tours are available for those interested, however, we opted to walk it ourselves and still get the complete picture. There was an interesting collection of religious artifacts such as crosses and even a section on Egyptian history. The Cross of Cong and The Tara Brooch are centerpieces, so don't overlook them!

Take me back:) This is a perfect place to view some history when your just exploring plus it's free entry.

Free Admission! You can jump off the Dublin Bus Tour directly in front.. A place where items of intrinsic, historical or artistic value are stored for safekeeping and allow access for public viewing and enjoyment. I would recommend this museum to any tourist visiting Dublin.

Exciting, haunting at times, educational, beautiful. It had everything. Very happy with the experience. I would recommend going and soaking up the reality of what Ireland has been giving the world for so long.

This is one of the must-see stops for a visit in Dublin. This museum covers everything from Irish antiquity to Egyptian, Byzantine, Roman and Medieval history. A shocking amount of precious metal art and artifacts that trace a path to the very beginnings of habitation on the island of Ireland. Particularly interesting are the display of eerie "bog bodies", unfortunate souls that perished in sacrifice around the time of Alexander the Great. Innumerable displays of ancient gold and the Tara Brooch are displayed here. These are the countries greatest historical treasures. We spent several hours here, but to fully appreciate all that there is to offer here a full day would be recommended. I was thankful that I was able to "preview" these items prior to a day trip in to the Boyne River valley as many of the contents were referenced on the tour. Admission is an astounding value: free.

I remember the dug-out canoe from my childhood... actually it is the only thing I remember from my first visits some 30 years ago... no idea why, it is of course a fascinating relic; a Bronze Age dugout canoe, about 4,000 years old, in remarkably good condition, but considering the staggering amount of riches contained within the walls of the museum, it is a funny thing to cling on to. The museum has a small collection from Ancient Egypt but it mostly focuses on Ancient Ireland; the history of the church (very beautiful and yet dull pieces) to Vikings (swords, shields, axes...BRILLIANT stuff!!).. OK, granted, I go to the museums with a four and a half year old boy, so everything I do these days is done with a very specific slant (will it amuse, will it fascinate, will it educate, will it give me 5 minutes peace!???). swords, guns, axes, Egyptian mummies... they're all there, all fascinating. ...also a huge collection of gold artifacts, created by hand with such amazing skill, 3,000years old, lord knows how they did it. Well worth a visit.

I love that the museums in Ireland are free. Not just because it saves me money but I think it shows that the country cares about its people and about education and culture. I think that the USA could learn a lesson from Ireland. I think the collection here is nice but not on par with some of the great museums of the world. This museum is not huge but they manage to have many more pieces that you would first think. I actually think my favorite thing about this particular museum is the inside of the actual building. It is absolutely lovely and something to look at in itself. The size is that were you could spend a good few hours and be able to see pretty much everything.

Amazing place. Lots of awesome exhibits, the building it's self it's amazingly beautiful.

Who knew bogs held so many treasures? When you think of Ireland, you don't necessarily think of gold necklaces, Roman armaments and Viking swords. But they're all here. The bog mummies are terrifying, and the details on the 'Tara' brooch are elaborate and ornate. The guards who greet you on entry also happen to be hilarious. Ours gave us a quick rundown of what's on display, and then laid out the penalties for touching or breaking any of the artifacts. (think Tasers)

This was the first of the three National Museums of Ireland (located in Dublin) that I visited because I was attracted by the word "archaeology." Upon entrance you encounter a gift shop and a security guard who tells you with a stern face that filming or flash photography is not permitted. There are two levels to the museum - a lot of gold jewelry on the bottom level and bog bodies on the top floor. I definitely think the bog bodies were the highlight of my trip to this museum - they are hidden behind a wall (each separately) so you will not see it unless you choose to. I recommend reading the story behind each bog body for the full experience (it is spooky). There is also a dim lit room with beautiful gem-decorated pins, chalices, swords, etc. This museum covers a fairly large ground which can really tire out your feet. This is relieved by the fact that there are conveniently placed benches where you can rest your tired feet. There are restrooms located on the ground floor as well. I definitely recommend you visit this museum if you are visiting Dublin (plus it's completely free!!)

Like the majority of Dublin's museums & galleries, the National Museum is open every day apart from Mondays, and is completely free. Housed in a beautiful Victorian Palladian style building dating back to the 1890's, it has an excellent range of archaeological finds, including a huge (probably the largest in the country?) Irish Bronze Age collection. Also to be found are some of the most exquisite pieces of Irish medieval metalwork, such as the Tara Brooch and Ardagh Chalice. On the second floor of the museum there is a cosy but fascinating exhibit on Ancient Egypt, featuring the mummy Tentdinebu. This was always my favourite part to visit as a child. This is a fantastic place to visit for all ages, highly recommended.

Unexpected, totally free and really cool! As others have noted, there is something for everyone in this museum. The collections are well chosen and not overwhelming - a few hours will do but you will see amazing things. The building itself is beautiful. The security guard gave us a brief history about the building, the history and how the museum came to be. I'd definitely go again!

During our 3 month grand tour of Europe we had seen a lot of museums. Everywhere we went we made sure to see at least one. We were not particularly fond of Dublin but we tried our best to make the best experience we could out of it. The National Museum of Ireland was pretty hit or miss for us. They had a remarkable Celtic exhibit that included numerous detailed pieces of jewelry, pots, armor, and etc. We got lost amongst the shining remnants of culture and found ourselves mesmerized by the meticulous carvings and knots. The rest of the museum seemed like a bit of an afterthought. It included the apparently mandatory Egyptian section as well as a few other things. Nothing particularly stood out as it felt rather generic. As for the atmosphere of the museum? Well to be honest, it felt almost medicinal. It didn't feel like a place meant to be explored. It felt like someone's stuffy collection they keep on display just to rub other peoples noses in it. If you are in the area and looking for something to do on a rainy day we definitely recommend taking a peak at the Celtic section but we wouldn't be offended if you didn't stay for the rest. ;) I would say this museum deserves 3 put of 5 stars but if you stick to the Celtic section only I give it 4 out of 5.

We went to the National Museum of Ireland - Archaeology on our first day in Dublin. We were told "the" thing to see was the bog bodies. We didn't arrive until about 30 minutes before closing so we had a very short amount of time to explore. We made seeing the bog bodies the priority and were able to walk around most of the museum before they started closing. We aren't really museum people (whatever that means) so we were glad it was free and not overwhelmingly large. 3.5 stars.

This was fun ... and free! As vacationers, having thus as an option was quite nice. We didn't get much time there as we arrived late in the day, but were able to see the exhibits on the 1st floor and some on the 2nd. If you get the chance, take it in!

I went to the museum on Sunday because why not ! I like museums. They remind me of how precious everything we create is. Maybe in hundreds of years, while browsing the interwebs, a historian will come across my Yelp reviews and discover a whole new aspect of the online social life 'back in the days'. And we will have an interactive plasma screen in the museum to show how Yelp worked and helped humanity become more customer friendly... 1* For the building: It is quite impressive and it makes a beautiful display for history ! 1* For the space: The museum is well organized. There is enough space to cover multiple eras and not get lost. I don't like to get lost especially in a museum :) 1* For the information: Everything has a tag or a poster explaining the details of the object/person at that time. You can walk a couple of hours easily ! 1* For the entrance: The entrance fee is free but you can make a donation on the way out. Also everything sold in the museum goes to the museum. The souvenirs are indeed a bit pricey but it's for a good cause, isn't it? 1* For the overall experience: It was a pleasure visiting this museum. I learned bit and pieces. It is always rewarding to use Sunday for educational purposes :D Let me know if you have any questions and I will get back to you asap. Have fun :)

Just a wonderful museum with many exhibits. Gold, Silver Jewelry from ancient times! Celtic and other Cultures made this one of the best museums I have ever had the pleasure of visiting. You could probably spend an entire day here to truly absorb it all. If you are in Dublin do not miss this.

It was our last full day of our three week British Isles vacation, and we decided to take a walking tour in the St. Stephens' Green/Trinity College area. Kildare Street has a couple of free museums, and this showed the most amount of promise. We entered at opening time, 10AM, and spent some time perusing the gift shop before proceeding inside. The museum's layout in of itself is interesting, with an interlocking series of floors/stairs/ramps - it'd probably take me a good week in order to get fully acclimated. But that's not the reason to go there - the building is immersed in history, not just Ireland's, but the world in general. Artefacts abound, from the long canoe to a variety of bog bodies (nearly eerie how well preserved these bodies are after all this time - I suppose if you want something preserved, that might not be the worst option!). You can also see how various cultures (Celtic, Viking, Norman) have had on the Irish Isle. Didn't get to see the Tara Brooch, but if we're ever back, we'll have to drop that onto our agenda. Actually, we should've gone in a plan, and not felt the rush to get out of there in a New York Minute, and realized that a Dublin Hour would've been more appropriate!

My sister and I definitely enjoyed this museum! It's on the smaller side, and not super groundbreaking, but it was enjoyable. The bog bodies were definitely the most interesting exhibit. We also went to eat in the museum cafe for lunch, and it was pretty good, and not too expensive! Admission to the museum is free, so if you have an afternoon available, why not come here!

Go to this museum first. Wonderful experience for free. I learned how significant the Viking conquest/influence was to Ireland's beginning. And how bogs affected everything in the earliest days of any settlement in Ireland.

Wow! A "national" museum in other countries is usually all flags and patriotism but this museum was really amazing. It's a beautiful old building and every piece of it is crammed with exhibits. There's an amazingly creepy collection of bog bodies and from there you walk through Ireland's past and somehow end up in ancient Egypt! (?) Best of all is that this museum like all national museums is free. Free! Yeah, so the souvenir shop is a little overpriced but I picked up a few bits and pieces as a way of saying thank you. Excellent.

This was the first of the museums I visited when I moved here. As a history junkie the idea of being able to explore Ireland's past from the pre-Christian all the way through the Renaissance was too much for me to handle. I literally squealed like a little girl in almost every room, the most joyous of these squeals however being reserved for the bog people. What a delightfully creepy and interesting way to put into perspective how long humanity has been around. FANTASTIC!!!!! It really does have something for everyone too. From the jewelry and decorative arts, to the weapons and viking invasions, everyone, even the most peevish of teenage boys, will be able to find something to hold their interest, even if only for a few moments.