National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts & History

Over het museum

The Decorative Arts & History branch of the National Museum of Ireland stands on the site of Collins Barracks, an army base for about two hundred years that is named after Michael Collins. The government decided in 1988 to close the barracks, the National Museum took possession of the site in 1993, and the Office of Public Works spent three years refurbishing the granite buildings around Palatine Square. The museum opened in September 1997. Its collecting traces back to 1877, when the Art and Industrial Division of the Dublin Museum of Science and Art was set up.

The collections cover two broad areas. The decorative arts include silver, ceramics, glass, furniture, clothing, jewellery and coins, while the military history collection tells of Ireland's military and revolutionary past, including the Easter Week collection. Notable holdings include the Eileen Gray pieces bought in 2000, the Asian art given by the Irish-American businessman Albert Bender in the 1930s, and the yacht Asgard, which has been on display since 2012 as a reminder of the 1914 Howth gun-running.

The long-running exhibition Soldiers and Chiefs follows Irish military history from 1550 to the present. Other permanent displays cover Irish silver, coins and currency, country furniture, historic clothing and reconstructed rooms. Because the Natural History Museum on Merrion Street is closed for works, part of its collection is shown here in the Dead Zoo Lab. Admission is free, and the museum offers talks, tours and workshops for all ages.

Hoogtepunten

• Soldiers and Chiefs, on Irish military history from 1550 to today
• Eileen Gray, with furniture and interiors by the modernist designer
• The yacht Asgard, used in the 1914 Howth gun-running
• Albert Bender collection of Asian art
• Irish silver, coins and currency, and The Way We Wore on Irish clothing

Vaste collectie

• Soldiers and Chiefs – The Irish at War at Home and Abroad from 1550 to the present day – Original artefacts, letters, replicas and interactives, including the Stokes Tapestry, show how soldiering and war have shaped the lives of Irish people.
• Eileen Gray – The life and work of the Irish pioneer of twentieth-century design and architecture, shown through her interiors and furniture.
• Asgard: From Gun-Running to Recent Conservation – The yacht built in 1905 that took part in the 1914 Howth gun-running, displayed after conservation.

Opgericht

1997

Beheerder

National Museum of Ireland

Bezoekers per jaar

ca. 198.974 (2018)

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

De toegang is gratis.

Admission to all four sites of the National Museum of Ireland is free. Booking is not required for families, individuals and small groups.

Toegankelijkheid

• Rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift
• Aangepast toilet
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
• Hulphonden welkom
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

The museum states that all galleries are fully accessible. There are lifts in the main reception area and the east corner serving floors one to three of the decorative arts section, and two lifts in Soldiers and Chiefs. Accessible toilets are at reception, on the ground floor of Soldiers and Chiefs and in the Riding School. Wheelchairs are available at the reception desk on request (reserve by phone), and mobile stools are available. Seven blue badge spaces are in the car park. The main gate on Benburb Street has a steep incline to Clarke Square, and the pedestrian gate beside the Luas stop is not wheelchair accessible. Guide and assistance dogs are welcome, some galleries are dimly lit for conservation reasons, and touchable exhibits can be located with staff help. A visual guide and sensory map can be downloaded, and Irish Sign Language events are held. Contact the museum’s access officer for questions.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
• Kinderwagenvriendelijk
• Verschoonruimte

The family programme includes workshops and events, activity books for Soldiers and Chiefs, and trails such as the Rainbow Trail, a music trail and virtual trails. Pushchairs can be taken around the museum, which has lifts, ramps and wide doors. Baby changing facilities are available in some toilets. Groups with visitors under 18 need one supervising adult per 15 young people.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

There are three entrance gates: the main gate on Benburb Street for cars and pedestrians, a rear gate from the Arbour Hill area, and a pedestrian gate from the Luas stop that is not wheelchair accessible.

Service & horeca

• Café
• Museumwinkel

Synge & Byrne Café is in Clarke Square opposite reception (Monday to Saturday 9:00 to 18:00, Sunday 11:00 to 17:00) and can be visited without a museum ticket. The museum shop is open during museum opening hours. Cloakroom and luggage storage are limited; visitors are asked not to bring items larger than a backpack.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

• Ruimtes te huur
• Zakelijke evenementen

Four spaces are offered for conferences, receptions, meetings and launches: the Palatine Room, Ante Room, AV Theatre and Foyer.

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