National Museum Of Ireland, Collins Barracks

National Museum Of Ireland, Collins Barracks

National Museum Of Ireland, Collins Barracks
4.5
Military MuseumsSpeciality MuseumsArt MuseumsHistory Museums
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
About
The National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, is located at one of Dublin’s most impressive historic sites. This former military barracks is home to two fascinating and completely diverse collections: the decorative arts collection, which encompasses silver, ceramics, glassware, furniture, clothing, jewellery, and coins, and the military history collection, which tells of Ireland’s military and revolutionary past. Admission is free. Exhibition highlights include Eileen Gray, exploring the life and work of the iconic 20th-century designer. The museum offers a year-round programme of workshops, talks, and tours for all ages and a changing programme of temporary exhibitions on historical and contemporary themes.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: North City Centre
How to get there
  • Museum • 2 min walk
  • Smithfield • 8 min walk
Reach out directly
See what travellers are saying
  • emma
    Amsterdam, The Netherlands130 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    free so you gotta go
    Free! free free free and an excellent museum too. No excuse not to check it out, actually. We looked at many exhibits, including some Irish war history and one on clothing. My favorite, however, was the Asgard exhibit; quite a large boat originally built as a yacht but repurposed for arms smuggling. I felt like a small child again, it was such fun. I had a laugh.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 20 March 2024
  • Braindamagedbaron
    Newark-on-Trent, United Kingdom1,807 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Immersive Irish History
    Free entry and very much worth a visit. The museum is fascinating and crammed full of artefacts of great interest and significance. The buildings alone are beautiful and worthy of wandering around to appreciate the architecture. If you're in Dublin, to not visit the museum would be a sin. You will find yourself intrigued at every turn and immersing yourself in the experience. Learn all about the city and the country as a whole. Recommended.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 1 April 2024
  • Allison H
    46 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Learn about Eileen Gray
    Exquisite furniture and decorative arts exhibits spanning several centuries. Housed in the former Collins military barracks. One highlight: exhibit on the work of by Ireland’s Eileen Gray, a pioneer of the Modern Movement in architecture.
    Visited May 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 5 April 2024
  • Lionel S
    Angers, France422 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Disconcerting
    An unclassifiable museum. An excellent section on Irish history, with some photos that are very difficult to see. Then a real melting pot of presentation. From coins, to furniture and Chinese objects…. A discovery cabinet side. You can love it or hate it. The visit lasts at least three hours. Free museum.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 26 May 2024
  • D murph
    County Cork, Ireland359 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Best Irish museum
    Located across from Heuston station this excellent museum. Numerous collections of Irish history and heritage and many floors to explore. The Museum is free to all and you can spend hours exploring Ireland through the ages.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 7 August 2024
  • Jeff K
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania2,476 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very Good Exhibits Re WWI + Independence
    This museum has an odd assortment of different exhibits. I was only interested in the sections on World War I and the battle for independence and subsequent civil war, though. Those exhibits were very good and exactly what I was looking for. Not sure why they have Asian ceramics and some other things but I just skipped them. On the whole I would rate the place a 4 but it was a 5 for the areas that I visited.
    Visited September 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 27 September 2024
  • Dec K
    51 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Pass away a few hours if you're into Military history!
    If you or the kids are into Military History, then this place will pass away an hour or two in Dublin. Large collection of Irish military history [if a little disjointed] Found it interesting enough, from very early Irish history, right up to our UN missions of today. The building itself is impressive, and full of significance. The displays are informative and I actually learned some things I didn't know!
    Visited October 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 14 October 2024
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,652 reviews
Excellent
997
Very good
482
Average
140
Poor
28
Terrible
5

AEC
76 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2022
From the time I walked through the door of this wonderful museum into the Hall of Heros my mind immediately went back to my youth. The name Jadotsville brought back memories of the First Irish troops to go abroad with the United Nations. They were very brave men, several of whom lost their lives in the Niemba Ambush in the then Belgian Congo. I particularly remembered Trooper Brown whose body was not recovered for some time. The archivist, Sergeant Denis McGarry, was a fantastic tour guide who clearly loves history and taking people around the museum. I spent 2 hours in his company learning everything I could about Collins Barracks itself and the museum. I soaked up every bit of information he gave me. I visited the Michael Collins room as well as the rest of the museum and saw many of the artifacts from Irish history such as Michael Collin's rosary beads along with his gun. For anyone interested in Irish History this museum is a must. The entrance is a little further on from the Main Collins Barracks and for security reasons one has to ring a doorbell before entry is allowed. My visit to this museum was the highlight of my few days in Cork. I couldn't recommend it highly enough.
Written 2 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Stefan S
24 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023 • Friends
this is a huge place, so bring time or concentrate on specific parts only. Located in former barracks you have to walk a lot to check things out. Free entry and good for a rainy day. We did focus on the Decorative Arts and it was a pleasant surprise to see the great variety of exhibits. Many are located in drawers which is a bit inconvenient.
Written 7 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bretts
Christchurch, New Zealand41 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2022
Military presence on this site goes back to the first building constructed on site in 1701. The current building architecture pretty well sums up the oppressive British presence in Ireland. It is fascinating and terrifying at the same time. The displays inside the building are varied and very interesting. From an extensive display of Irish military history to clothing, silver ware, clocks, statues. The collection in this building is like nothing I have ever seen before. If you are thinking of visiting, I recommend spending the entire day on site. It's well worth a visit.
Written 19 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

El H
2 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Solo
I ( she/her/hers) was greeted with overly nonchalant shrugs and wordless vocalisation, when I asked about putting my bag in the cloakroom.
Whilst I was concentrating on an exhibition on Eileen Gray , & taking photos without flash, a Museum attendant ( male) started chatting to a colleague, and said hello to me as I passed. I , and my husband, do not consider this to be etiquette, as it is distracting.
Written 20 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, We take our visitors feedback on their experiences at the National Museum of Ireland very seriously and would like to invite you to contact the museum at info@museum.ie so we can follow this matter up.
Written 6 June 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Liam
Dublin, Ireland113 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Friends
Today eighteen of our members went to the National museum of Ireland at Collins barracks for a guided tour hosted by Catrina who proved to be an excellent professional and gracious host . She was brilliant and her knowledge of the history of the Barracks and the artefacts in the museum is first class.
We adjourned for coffee locally afterwards and again we had a great day.😎
Written 25 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Passpartous
Tel Aviv, Israel204 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Couples
A wonderful museum to visit when you are in Dublin. It's different from most museum because it is really surprising in its collection of exhibitions. From historical fabrics and fashion to military history, architecture and Asian art collection, as well as furniture over the history of Ireland. Unfortunately, the photos exhibition was off the walls...Only the posters with the story behind it were still on display.
An excellent way to learn about the history and culture of Ireland. Warmly recommended. Oh, and it's free. No tickets required.
Written 26 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DML17
Annandale, VA34 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
Loved visiting this place! It has a diverse offering of exhibits, covering Irish military history, jewelry, furniture, and fashion as well as a collection of Asian artifacts and art. The staff were wonderful, asking us our interests and how much time we had, then guiding us in the right direction to make the most of our experience. Being at Collins Barracks and learning military history along with pictures of the barracks through time was pretty cool. The military portion of the visit was the best, with some interactive exhibits and interesting vignettes of events.
Written 30 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Quill2005
Ocala, FL266 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023 • Couples
This museum is a little further out from Central Dublin, but easy to get to. It's also within easy walking distance to the Guiness Storehouse. The Decorative Arts Museum is housed in a former military barracks and contains a most eclectic collection of objects relating to Irish history. The military portion is especially interesting. Allow yourself about 2 plus hours to view the collection.
Written 6 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jim D
Galway, Ireland106 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
This is a magnificent National Museum with a wide range of Exhibition Galleries containing Historic aspects of Irish life. Highlights include Centuries of Furnishing, The Way we Wore- as in clothing, Irish Silver and remembering the 1916 Rising proclaiming the Irish Republic. Many exhibitions include most interesting historic films and voices from the past.
The Museum is very central and is on the Luas Tram line, admission is free and there is excellent car parking at a nominal charge. To complete your visit drop in to the Museum Shop and Cafe
Written 3 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Travel 360
127 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
Clothing, some furniture, porcelain and glassware… an Asian display. It’s right at the red line “Museum” stop. Of the 3 National museums I like the Archeology the best, then the Gallery, then the Decorative arts. All three are free. The Irish clothing designers area was very well done! And we also saw ‘Black Jack’s’ saddle and a Hurdy Gurdy!
Written 1 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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NATIONAL MUSEUM OF IRELAND, COLLINS BARRACKS (2025) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Reviews)

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