Áras an Uachtaráin

About the museum

Áras an Uachtaráin began in the mid-eighteenth century as a modest brick house built for the ranger of the Phoenix Park. The Crown bought it in the 1780s, and over the following decades it grew into a large and elegant mansion that served as the country residence of the Lord Lieutenant, the British viceroy in Ireland, under the name Viceregal Lodge. Its garden front, with a columned portico, is visible from the main road through the park, and it has often been claimed that this portico inspired the design of the White House in Washington.

After independence the building was occupied by the Governor General. In 1938 Douglas Hyde, the first President of Ireland, moved in, and it has been the official residence and workplace of every president since then.

The house is open to the public on a limited basis. Free guided tours are offered on Saturdays, subject to official State business,. Tickets cannot be reserved in advance; they are handed out on the day at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre, about one kilometre away.

Highlights

• Official residence of the President of Ireland
• Georgian house in the Phoenix Park dating from the mid-eighteenth century
• Former Viceregal Lodge of the British Lord Lieutenant
• Free guided tours every Saturday
• Tickets issued on the day at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre

Permanent exhibition

• Guided tour of Áras an Uachtaráin – A free guided tour of the presidential residence in the Phoenix Park.

Operated by

Office of Public Works (public tours)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Tours are free. Tickets cannot be booked in advance, and group visits are not permitted.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Only assistance dogs are admitted. Visitors who need step-free access should ask at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre when collecting a ticket.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The house stands in the Phoenix Park, about 4 km from the centre of Dublin, and is signposted from the Phoenix Monument. Tickets are collected at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit