Dublinia

About the museum

Dublinia is housed in the Synod Hall, a nineteenth-century building by the architect George Edmund Street, who also led the restoration of Christ Church Cathedral in the 1870s. The hall was built for the annual meetings of the Church of Ireland General Synod and has a two-storey hall with a multi-arched wooden roof. A stone bridge links it to the cathedral, and visitors cross it as they leave the exhibition. The museum is run by a not-for-profit charitable trust.

The building also incorporates the tower of the medieval church of St Michael the Archangel, which once stood on the site. The tower dates from the late seventeenth century and has been open to visitors, who can climb 96 steps for views over the city. An exhibition at the base of the tower tells the history of the tower and the surrounding parish.

The exhibitions cover three themes on separate floors: Viking Dublin, Medieval Dublin and The Past Today. Visitors can use a handling collection, see maps of medieval Dublin and join the daily free guided tours and Living History sessions. A recommended visit lasts about 90 minutes. The museum also offers programmes for schools, lectures and evening events.

Highlights

• Exhibitions on Viking Dublin and Medieval Dublin
• St Michael’s Tower with 96 steps and views of the city
• Free daily guided tours and Living History sessions
• Stone bridge to Christ Church Cathedral
• Hands-on handling collection and activity sheets for families

Permanent exhibitions

• Viking Dublin – Exhibition on Viking-age Dublin, included in the ticket.
• Medieval Dublin – Exhibition on medieval Dublin, with maps of the medieval city; included in the ticket.
• The Past Today – Third part of the exhibition, included in the ticket together with Viking Dublin and Medieval Dublin.

Founded

1993

Operated by

Dublinia (not-for-profit charitable trust)

Admission & discounts

The online prices are listed as adult €16, child €11.50 and student or senior €14.50. At the welcome desk on the day the adult ticket costs €18 and senior and student tickets €15.50. Tickets can be bought on the day or booked online. Combined tickets with Christ Church Cathedral are also offered. Group bookings are made by email.

Accessibility

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

Lifts reach all the exhibitions, but there is no lift to St Michael’s Tower. Most audio-visuals are captioned in English, French, Spanish, German and Italian, and a handling collection and other tactile elements are available. Resources for autistic visitors include a visual story, a sensory map and a video guide, and staff have had autism awareness training.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations

The museum describes itself as a learning experience for all ages. Families can use a downloadable activity sheet and instructions for making a Viking axe or shield, and there are family tickets. Children must be supervised by an adult at all times.

Getting there & parking

Dublinia is at Christ Church, at the crossroads of St Michael’s Hill, Patrick Street and High Street, and is connected to Christ Church Cathedral by a neo-Gothic archway.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

The gift shop is open daily. The coffee shop is open from 10:00 to 17:00 at weekends from October to March.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit