Museums
County Cavan Museum
Midlands Ireland | County Cavan
County Cavan Museum is situated in restored 19th century Poor Clare Convent, in Ballyjamesduff, 19 km southeast of Cavan Town. The museum was open to the public in 1996 and since then collects, conserves, and displays the material heritage and culture of County Cavan. The exhibition galleries feature a wide range of artefacts dating from the Stone Age up unt... more info and photos
Glengowla Mines
West Ireland | County Galway
Glengowla Mines are situated 4 km west of Oughterard, in Connemara region of County Galway. Lead and silver were mined here between 1850 and 1865. The mine is also noted for it's rare and beautiful octahedral crystals of fluorite and quartz, some of which you can admire on the display in the Natural History Museum in London. The present landowners, Patrick a... more info and photos
National Museum – Decorative Arts and History
East Ireland | County Dublin
National Museum Of Ireland – Decorative Arts & History is located in a historic military building of Collins Barracks, in the centre of Dublin City. This massive complex was commissioned in 1700 and served as military barracks until the 1990s, being the oldest inhabited barracks in Europe. Since 1997 it became home of National Museum of Ireland – Decorative ... more info and photos
Arigna Mining Experience
Midlands Ireland | County Roscommon
The Arigna Mining Experience Centre is located on the west side of Lough Allen in County Roscommon, 11 km northwest of Drumshanbo. The 45 minutes long guided tour, led by ex-miners, takes you not only to the journey through the mine but also through the miners' lives. This area has a rich mining history dating back to the beginning of the 17th century when ... more info and photos
Donaghmore Famine Workhouse Museum
Midlands Ireland | County Laois
Donaghmore Famine Workhouse Museum is located in on the road between Borris-in-Ossory and Rathdowney, in Donaghmore, County Laois. It was one of the 130 workhouses built in Ireland during famine times, in mid-19th century (another 33 were established some time later). These institutions were operating until the 1920s as a means of providing relief for extrem... more info and photos
Jeanie Johnston Famine Ship
East Ireland | County Dublin
Jeanie Johnston is a replica of 19th century three-masted tall ship located in the centre of Dublin to commemorate the tragedy of Great Famine. The original Jeanie Johnston was built in 1847, in Quebec, in Canada and was purchased by Irish merchants John Donovan & Sons for carrying goods between Ireland and North America. In the time of Great Famine as many... more info and photos
Glenview Folk Museum
Northwest Ireland | County Leitrim
Glenview Folk Museum, located near Ballinamore in County Leitrim, is a huge private collection associated with local folklore, agriculture and antique items of everyday life dating from early 19th century to the recent past. The museum is owned and ran by the Kennedy Family since 2000 and very quickly become the popular tourist attraction and its collection ... more info and photos
Butter Museum
Southwest Ireland | County Cork
The Butter Museum is located in the historic Shandon area of Cork city, beside the entrance to the old Cork Butter Exchange. It presents the history of the Irish dairy industry from its earliest times, through the heyday in the 19th-century, when Cork was the largest exporter of butter in the world, to the modern times, when the Kerrygold brand has achieved ... more info and photos
National Museum of Ireland - Natural History
East Ireland | County Dublin
The National Museum of Ireland - Natural History is situated in Dublin's city centre on Merrion Street. The Victorian ‘cabinet-style’ building, designed by architect Frederick Clarendon) was completed in 1857 to house collection of the Royal Dublin Society. In 1877, the ownership of building and collections was transferred to the state and since then is open... more info and photos
Craggaunowen
West Ireland | County Clare
Craggaunowen is an open air museum located in forest park, 6 km east from Quin (Co Clare), just off road R469 (20 km northwest from Limerick City). This living past experience project was established in 1960's by John Hunt, important historian, antiquarian, and collector (his collections are on display in Hunt Museum in Limerick). The reconstructions, inclu... more info and photos
Molly Gallivan's Cottage
Southwest Ireland | County Kerry
The Molly Gallivan's Cottage and Traditional Farm is small open air museum located in Releigh near Bonane, on Beara Peninsula (Co Kerry), just off the road N71, in the middle way between Kenmare and Glengarriff. The cottage and farm depicts the everyday life in rural Ireland over 200 years ago, before the times of elecrticity and modern conveniences. Molly w... more info and photos
Kilgarvan Motor Museum
Southwest Ireland | County Kerry
Kilgarvan Motor Museum is located just 5min drive to the south from Kilgarvan Town in County Kerry. The museum is run by Mitchells family (John, his wife Joan and two sons) who are collecting and restoring old cars since 1970's. There is huge collection of classic cars, beginning from the very old ones as 1926 Ford model T, throughout very unusual like 195... more info and photos
Allihies Copper Mine Museum
Southwest Ireland | County Cork
Allihies Copper Mine Museum is situated in the last village, at the end of Beara Peninsula, in west County Cork. The beautiful scenery surrounding the village of Allihies is dominated by the Mountain Mine and the Man Engine House reminding the mining past of this place. The museum is housed in former Methodist church built in 1845 for the Cornish miners, wor... more info and photos
Irish National Heritage Park
Southeast Ireland | County Wexford
The Irish National Heritage Park is an open air museum located on the picturesque banks of the River Slaney on the outskirts of Wexford (just off N11). The park, situated on 35 acres of natural woodlands and wetlands takes you on the journey through the Ireland's ancient past, which starts 9000 years ago when first people (hunters-gatherers) appeard in Irela... more info and photos
Muckross Traditional Farms
Southwest Ireland | County Kerry
Muckross Traditional Farms are open air museum situated in the heart of Killarney National Park on the grounds of famous Muckross House and Gardens. There are examples of three working farms of different sizes: Kissane's small farm, Foley's midium size farm and Quille's large farm. In addition to the farms, you will also find there O'Connors labourer's cotta... more info and photos
Hunt Museum
West Ireland | County Limerick
The Hunt Museum has one of Ireland's greatest private collections of Art and Antiquities, dating from the Neolithic to the 20th century. It's housed in 18th century, the Palladian style Custom House situated in Limerick's city center. The collection was gathered by John Hunt (a historian, antiquarian, and collector) and his wife Gertrude. Each piece of the c... more info and photos
Kerry Bog Village
Southwest Ireland | County Kerry
Kerry Bog Village is an open air museum which gives people an insight into how people lived and worked in Ireland in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is located on popular Ring of Kerry between Killorglin and Glenbeigh (road N70), just beside the Red Fox Inn. The replicas of the dwellings are very carefully prepared with strong attention to details and equipp... more info and photos
Oceans Alive Visitor Centre
West Ireland | County Galway
The Oceans Alive Visitor Centre is located on the Wild Atlantic Way in Derryinver (about 3,5 km north of Letterfrack towards Renvyle), in Connemara, County Galway. The exhibition contains artifacts and comprehensive information about the offshore wildlife and impact of the ocean on Connemara region. There are also many very interesting exhibits associated wi... more info and photos
Guinness Storehouse
East Ireland | County Dublin
The Guinness Storehouse at St. James's Gate, without a doubt is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Dublin and is situated just in city center. The brewery established in 1759 by Arthur Guinness became one of the most known and successful beer brands worldwide. The self-guided tour of the seven storey Guinness Storehouse brings closer the history of th... more info and photos
Dublinia
East Ireland | County Dublin
Dublinia is an excellent place to learn and discover history of medieval Dublin. This living history museum is housed in neo-Gothic building of former Synod Hall attached to the oldest cathedral in Dublin - Christ Church Cathedral. There are three exhibitions, each on one floor. Ground floor is dedicated to the founders of Dublin City, the Vikings. Expositio... more info and photos
Waterford Medieval Museum
Southeast Ireland | County Waterford
Waterford's Medieval Museum, situated in oldest part of the city, called Viking Triangle, presents interesting and colorful history of the first city in Ireland. The museum's building contains two medieval structures within its walls, 13th century Chorister's Hall and 15th century Mayor’s Wine Vault. The modern and interactive exhibitions covers the Waterfor... more info and photos
Kilmainham Gaol
East Ireland | County Dublin
Kilmainham Gaol, located in Dublin City is one of the largest unoccupied prisons in Europe and it is strongly associated with the Irish history, especially with Ireland's painful path to independence from the British invader. Gaol designed by John Traile was completed in 1796 and replaced the old Dublin County Jail. At that time the main building comprised o... more info and photos
Cobh Heritage Centre
Southwest Ireland | County Cork
Cobh Heritage Centre is located in restored Victorian Railway Station and presents rich and very interesting history of small fishing village which became important and internationally recognized port. Thanks to perfect natural dispositions, harbour became significant refuelling and assembly point for naval and commercial ships, in the times of Napoleonic Wa... more info and photos
Cork City Gaol
Southwest Ireland | County Cork
Cork City Gaol located on Sunday's Well is one of most interesting tourist attractions in the city. It was established in 1824 to replace overcrowded old prison at the Northgate Bridge. The building was designed by William Robertson of Kilkenny and built by the Deane family. One of Ireland's greatest sculptors, John Hogan worked there as a drafter. At the be... more info and photos
Reginalds Tower
Southeast Ireland | County Waterford
Reginald's Tower is oldest and most characteristic building of Waterford. It was built in 1003 by Reginald (or Ragnall), the viking leader of Waterford. Initially it was a wooden building being a part of the defensive wall of the area known as the Viking Triangle. In 12th century, when Anglo Normans took control over the city, tower was re-built, wood was re... more info and photos
The Kennedy Homestead
Southeast Ireland | County Wexford
The Kennedy Homestead is a birthplace of Patrick Kennedy, the grandfather of the president of USA, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Farmstead is located in Dunganstown, 8 km south from New Ross, County Wexford and now is a home of small museum dedicated to Kennedy family. The story starts during Great Famine in 1848, when Patrick Kennedy left Ireland on Dunbrody Fam... more info and photos
Dunbrody Famine Ship
Southeast Ireland | County Wexford
Dunbrody Famine Ship is replica of 19th century cargo vessel located in the center of New Ross in County Wexford. This kind of ships, (also known as "Coffin Ships") were used to transport people to North America and Australia during Great Famine times. The original Dunbrody was built in 1845, in Quebec (Canada), by an Irish emigrant shipbuilder, Thomas Ha... more info and photos
Foynes Flying Boat Museum
West Ireland | County Limerick
Foynes Flying Boat and Maritime Museum is located on southern bank of the Shannon River estuary, in important harbour village of Foynes, in County Limerick. Museum brings to the times when Foynes become the centre of the aviation world between 1939 and 1945 (in this period, many famous politicians, businessmen and movie stars passed through Foynes). On 9 ... more info and photos
Irish Agricultural Museum
Southeast Ireland | County Wexford
Irish Agricultural Museum is situated in old farm buildings of Johnstown Castle, in County Wexford. Its one of the most comprehensive exhibitions of rural life and farming in Ireland. The wide range of artefacts includes impressive collection of rural transport and farm machinery as also tools related with gardening and landscaping. You can see complete w... more info and photos
Celtic and Prehistoric Museum
Southwest Ireland | County Kerry
The Celtic and Prehistoric Museum is located beside the road R559, in Klvicadowing near Ventry (west of Dingle Town) on the Dingle Peninsula. This small, well furnished museum offers a large collection of artefacts from all over Europe, dating from 500 million years ago until the middle ages. The biggest attraction is undoubtedly the large complete Wooly Mam... more info and photos
Inishowen Maritime Museum and Planetarium
Northwest Ireland | County Donegal
Inishowen Maritime Museum and Planetarium is located in Greencastle Town in western part of Inishowen peninsula in County Donegal. The museum is placed in the old coastguard station in Greencastle harbour on the shores of the Lough Foyle. The exhibition with its artifacts refer to the deep maritime tradition of Inishowen peninsula. You will find there a lot ... more info and photos
Fort Dunree
Northwest Ireland | County Donegal
Fort Dunree (Irish: An Dún Fhraoigh, what means "Fort of the Heather") is located on rocky promontory on the shores of Lough Swilly, on the west side of the Inishowen peninsula about 12 km north from town of Buncrana in County Donegal. It was erected by British Royal Navy in 1798 to guard against the possible invasion of a French fleet. In 1895 the fort wa... more info and photos
National Museum of Ireland - Country Life
West Ireland | County Mayo
National Museum of Ireland – Country Life is located in Turlough near Castlebar in County Mayo. The modern building situated at the lake on grounds of Turlough Park House is integrated into the unique landscape of surrounding gardens and park. The museum has an impressive collection of items, artefacts and pictures which help to understand the way and the tr... more info and photos
The Skellig Experience Visitor Centre
Southwest Ireland | County Kerry
The Skellig Experience Visitor Centre is located on Valentia Island in County Kerry, right by the bridge which connects the island with the mainland, opposite the fishing village of Portmagee (just 11 km [7 miles] off the Ring of Kerry, between Cahersiveen and Waterville). The whole exhibition is dedicated to The Skellig Islands, and with its video, graphic... more info and photos
Duncannon Fort
Southeast Ireland | County Wexford
Duncannon Fort is located in Duncannon Village on Hook Peninsula in southwest part of County Wexford. Was established in 1588 to protect coast from the Spanish Armada and to stop the pirates attacking trade ships floating to Waterford Harbour. The Fort is surrounded by a 9m (30 ft) high dry moat and all the major buildings are located around a parade grou... more info and photos
Bunratty Castle and Folk Park
West Ireland | County Clare
Bunratty Castle and Folk Park are located in village of Bunratty (approx. 15 km from Limerick City in Shannon direction) in County Clare. It's one of the most popular and worth visiting tourist attractions in Ireland. Covering an area of 26 acre park includes a medieval castle - Bunratty Castle, 19th century Georgian residence - Bunratty House, 19th cent... more info and photos
Slea Head Famine Cottages
Southwest Ireland | County Kerry
Slea Head Famine Cottages located on Dingle Peninsula in county Kerry are a memorial reminding the tragedy of Great Famine (Irish: an Gorta Mór) from the mid 19th century. The result of this tragedy was the death of a million people and the emigration of another million, reducing the Irish population by about 25%. The cottages are made up of main farmers co... more info and photos
National Museum of Ireland – Archeology
East Ireland | County Dublin
National Museum of Ireland – Archeology - contains greatest collections of Irish material heritage and culture. Is home to more than two million archaeological objects and specimens (weaponry, furniture, jewelry, ceramics, glassware, costumes - some artifacts dating from 7000 BC). Museum consists of several permanent exhibitions: “Prehistoric Ireland”, “Ór ... more info and photos
Wicklows Historic Gaol
East Ireland | County Wicklow
Wicklows Historic Gaol from 1702, is a place, which is sure to provide you an unforgettable experience. Audio-visual effects make that the history of the prison with its main characters alive again. You'll discover who were the prisoners, the details of their daily life and the rules prevailing in the prison over the times. You can also take a look at ... more info and photos
The National Maritime Museum of Ireland
East Ireland | County Dublin
The National Maritime Museum of Ireland, is housed in a former Mariners Church. Dating from 1837, this was built to serve the seafaring community of the bustling harbour of Kingstown, known today as Dún Laoghaire - or even "Dublin's Riviera". The museum first opened its doors in 1974, and has since been managed by the Maritime Institute of Ireland which ... more info and photos