Irish Jewish Museum
Small volunteer-run museum in a former synagogue in Dublin, telling the history of Jewish communities in Ireland, open on Sundays.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Irish Jewish Museum occupies a former synagogue at 3 Walworth Road, in the part of Dublin south of the South Circular Road once known as Little Jerusalem. The synagogue consisted of two adjoining terraced houses from the 1870s and could seat about 150 worshippers. As the Jewish population moved to the suburbs and shrank, it fell out of use in the early 1970s and stayed locked for almost fifteen years.
A museum committee was formed in late 1984, and the museum was officially opened on 20 June 1985 by Chaim Herzog, the Irish-born President of Israel, during his state visit to Ireland. It is managed and staffed entirely by volunteers and depends on visitor donations. The collection is an all-Ireland one, with material from the Jewish communities of Belfast, Cork, Derry, Drogheda, Dublin, Limerick and Waterford, most of it from the last 150 years.
Visitors can see the preserved synagogue room and displays of memorabilia, photographs and documents. An exhibition covers the history of Jewish communities in Europe, and a display is devoted to the Solomons family, who settled in Ireland in 1824, including the painter Estella Solomons. The museum also offers guided tours, school visits on Jewish history, the synagogue and the Holocaust, and help with genealogical enquiries.
Highlights
- The former Walworth Road synagogue as the museum’s main gallery
- Collection covering Jewish communities across the whole of Ireland
- Exhibition on Europe and the Jewish diaspora
- Display on the Solomons family, including the artist Estella Solomons
- Photographic collection, digitised and shown online
Permanent exhibitions
- Europe and the Jewish Diaspora – An exhibition on two thousand years of Jewish life in Europe, from integration and migration to persecution and the present.
- Estella Solomons and the Solomons Family – A display on one of Ireland’s oldest Jewish families, established in 1824, and on the painter Estella Solomons.
- Highlights from the Photographic Collection – A selection of photographs from the museum’s collection that records Jewish life in Ireland.
- Founded
- 1985
- Operated by
- Irish Jewish Museum (registered charity, volunteer-run)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5Students |
| Students & apprentices | €5 |
The museum relies on visitor donations. Special weekday openings are charged for.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
South Richmond Street and Harcourt Luas stop
Dublin Bus routes 15, 15A, 15B, 65, 65B, 83, 83A, 140 and 142 stop on South Richmond Street, and routes 9, 16, 16D, 68 and 122 stop on South Circular Road. Harcourt on the Luas Green Line is the nearest tram stop, less than a 10-minute walk away.
Because on-street parking is limited, public transport or walking is recommended. The museum is a 15 to 20 minute walk from St Stephen’s Green, and a Dublin Bikes stand is 170 metres from the front door.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
An online shop sells books on the history of Irish Jews, music and videos.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours, private visits, family gatherings and tours of Jewish Dublin can be arranged by appointment by email. Volunteers offer an introduction to the objects if visitors wish. School visits can combine topics such as the synagogue as a sacred space, the home as a sacred space and the Holocaust. Genealogical enquiries and research consultations are available by appointment. |
