Farmleigh House and Estate

About the museum

Farmleigh began as a small Georgian house built in the late 18th century. Edward Cecil Guinness, later the first Earl of Iveagh and a great-grandson of Arthur Guinness, bought it in 1873. Between 1881 and 1884 the architect James Franklin Fuller enlarged the house and added a third storey. A ballroom wing by William Young followed in 1896, and a conservatory was added in 1901 to 1902.

The interiors mix several styles, from Classical and Georgian to Jacobean and French-inspired rooms. The dining room was designed around four 17th-century embroidered panels that Guinness bought in London. Many of the paintings and furnishings he collected are still in the house on loan from the Guinness family, alongside works from the State collection, the National Gallery of Ireland and Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane. The Benjamin Iveagh Library holds rare books and manuscripts, and a newer room is dedicated to the book collection of Garech Browne.

The Irish State bought the 78-acre estate in June 1999 and uses it to host visiting heads of state and high-level meetings. The Office of Public Works also opened a gallery in the former cow sheds in 2005. The grounds include walled and sunken gardens, a lake, sculptures and a working farm. At present the house itself is closed to visitors, while the grounds, gallery and outdoor tours remain open.

Highlights

• Edwardian house with the Guinness family art collection (closed at present)
• Free Farmleigh Gallery with changing exhibitions
• Parkland with walled and sunken gardens, lake and sculptures
• Free guided outdoor tours twice a day
• Benjamin Iveagh Library with rare books and manuscripts

Permanent exhibitions

• Farmleigh House interiors and collection – Guided house tours show the Edwardian reception rooms, the library and art from the Guinness and State collections. The house is closed to visitors for now.
• Farmleigh sculptures – Sculptures are placed across the grounds, including a work by Tony Cragg and a commission by Brian King for the 2004 EU enlargement.

Operated by

Office of Public Works (OPW)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry to the grounds, gardens and Farmleigh Gallery is free. The prices shown are for the house tour once the house reopens; tickets are sold online or at the ticket desk in the Motorhouse reception. OPW Heritage Card and Dublin Pass holders still collect a ticket for the next tour. Cards are accepted except American Express.

Accessibility

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

On the house tour, every area except the billiards room is accessible, and a guide takes wheelchair users to the accessible entrance. Wheelchair-accessible toilets are in the courtyard and at the Boathouse Café, and the café and the gallery are on one level. The car park has 9 disabled bays, about 300 m from the ticket office and 450 m from the tearoom. Some garden paths have steps or slopes, and the sunken garden terraces are reached by steps. Signs across the estate include Braille. Irish Sign Language interpretation can be arranged in advance, and a social guide PDF is available. Recognised assistance dogs may join the house tours.

Kids & families

• Baby changing facilities

Prams and buggies cannot be taken into the house and are stored at the Motorhouse reception. Baby changing facilities are available, and a social guide PDF helps families prepare. Horses, donkeys, cattle and sheep graze in the grounds, so dogs must stay on leads.

Getting there & parking

Farmleigh is entered from inside Phoenix Park via White’s Road. The estate asks drivers not to follow satnav or Google Maps directions but to enter the coordinates 53.3661, -6.3516.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant
• Lockers
• Wi-Fi

The Boathouse Café and Restaurant, run by Kennedys, overlooks the lake and is open daily 10:00 to 17:00 except Christmas Day, St Stephen’s Day, New Year’s Day and during State visits. Free Wi-Fi is available at the Motorhouse reception, the galleries and the café. Free lockers are in the Motorhouse. Dogs on leads are welcome in the grounds but not inside any building.

Events & venue rental

As far as we know, the museum does not rent out spaces for external events.

Farmleigh hosts government conferences and events only. It cannot be hired for private or corporate events, and wedding ceremonies are not held there; photography applications for the grounds are possible.

Plan your visit