Hugh Lane Gallery

About the museum

The gallery was founded in 1908 by Sir Hugh Lane as the Municipal Gallery of Modern Art, as part of the Celtic Revival at the start of the twentieth century. It is housed in Charlemont House on Parnell Square, a townhouse designed by Sir William Chambers for the first Earl of Charlemont and built from about 1763. The house keeps many original features, including a Palladian façade of brick with limestone at ground level.

The collection covers modern and contemporary Irish and international art from the nineteenth century to today. It includes Impressionist paintings by Manet, Monet, Degas, Pissarro and Morisot, works by Agnes Martin, Niki de Saint Phalle, Joseph Beuys and Günther Uecker, portraits of Irish figures such as W. B. Yeats and Michael Collins, a stained-glass room with works by Harry Clarke and a room dedicated to the painter Sean Scully. In 1998 the studio of the painter Francis Bacon was moved here from 7 Reece Mews in London and re-created exactly as he left it.

On 28 September 2025 the gallery closed for a planned refurbishment that goes together with the building of a new city library for Dublin. The works will bring the 1930s wing up to modern standards of security and climate control and will create a direct link to the library. The closure is expected to last at least three years. During this time the collection can be explored online, education and community programmes take place at other locations in the city, and the Bacon studio stays protected in the building. The bookshop trades online.

Highlights

• Reconstructed studio of Francis Bacon, moved from London in 1998
• Impressionist paintings by Manet, Monet, Degas and Pissarro
• Harry Clarke stained-glass room and a room of works by Sean Scully
• Georgian townhouse of 1763 by Sir William Chambers
• Online collection and city-wide learning programmes during the closure

Permanent exhibitions

• Francis Bacon’s Studio – The painter’s London studio, moved to Dublin in 1998 and preserved as he left it, with unfinished works, display cases and an audio-visual room; it remains in the building, protected, while the gallery is closed.
• Hugh Lane Gallery collection – Irish and international art from the nineteenth century to today, including Impressionist paintings, the Harry Clarke stained-glass room and the Sean Scully gallery; available online during the closure.

Founded

1908

Operated by

Dublin City Council

Admission & discounts

The gallery is closed for refurbishment and is expected to stay closed for at least three years from September 2025. The collection can be viewed online.

Accessibility

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

Before the closure the gallery offered full wheelchair access, lifts to all floors, accessible toilets on the ground and lower ground floors, and two designated disability parking spaces directly outside. A social story for visitors is available on the website.

Kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

Family and children’s programmes take place at venues around the city while the gallery is closed.

Getting there & parking

Charlemont House is on the north side of Parnell Square at the top of O’Connell Street.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Lockers

Before the closure there was a café on the lower ground floor (open 10:00 to 16:00) and a bookshop, which now trades online at hlgallerybooks.com. Lockers were on the lower ground floor.

Events & venue rental

The gallery is closed for refurbishment and is expected to stay closed for at least three years from September 2025. The collection can be viewed online.

Plan your visit