We would go back in a heartbeat. Over the years we have been to the junior side and loved it. We…read morejust went to the older kid side (ideal for 5+). Incredibly engaging for all the kids and the adults. Spent 6hrs and still have more to see and do. While we were there, kids kept saying how much fun it was and changing what their favourite activity or exhibit was. Staff were all super and great with the kids and explaining different tasks or suggesting what to check out. Highly recommend going!

Enjoyed the powertrip overall but worker Theo was EXTREMELY and unnecessary rude to me and wouldn't…read morelet me enjoy the trip. I think he needs to stop being so rude to people and if he's like this all the time I would be extremely concerned. He also kept giving me bad looks and was making faces which seemed very unprofessional. I hope he was just having a bad day and that he's not always that grumpy. After I left I felt very disrespected and it ruined my day. Callum

Wonderful museum. It is in the smaller side and a bit dark but it feels cozy somehow…read more The exhibitions tell a story of the history of Ireland. I wanted to visit to view the big bodies and I was not disappointed. They also had hordes of gold in display which were surrounded by beautiful jewelry. The museum is free.

My sons and I loved this museum. The building itself is gorgeous inside with hand carved wooden…read moredoors and amazing inlayed mosaic floors. The Bog bodies was my favorite exhibit. I didn't include images of the bodies on display since some people might find them too disturbing, but I did include one of the descriptions on what was found at a site. Lots of beautiful gold jewelry and iron weaponry as well. Admission is free, and we spent about 2 hours here.

Ok, it's quite small but it's a lovely place to pass some time. The staff are fantastic and so…read moreknowledgeable, I really enjoyed it and so did my kids. Take your time going through and you will see so much. Some of the older reviews are a little unfair, this is Bray Co. Wicklow, not Singapore or Sydney. Be realistic people.

This will not blow your mind that's for sure. Maybe if you are a small child and things just seem…read moreinfinately bigger and amazing then it will. So the tip here is to bring a child or pretend that you are a child. Honestly I thought it was a bit expensive for looking at fish, just over 10 euro. My wildlife rugged friend is reading over my shoulder at this and he disagrees and wants me to register that. Fair enough but he counts fish or something like that for a living so he would find it fun.

Its a easy experience to go through, beautiful castle with free lockers to store backpacks.read more

Dublin Castle was originally built in the early 1200s as a medieval fortress under the instruction…read moreof King John of England. For centuries, it was the headquarters of English (and eventually British) rule in Ireland. In 1684, a large fire destroyed a large portion of the castle. Instead of matching the original Gothic style, most of it was rebuilt using a Georgian style, similar to what you'd find in the French Palace of Versailles! It's quite the contrast. When you visit Dublin Castle, you can choose to explore it in two ways: with a self-guided tour to the state apartments or with a scheduled guided tour that visits the Viking Excavation, the Chapel Royal, and the State Apartments. When you first enter the courtyard, you'll immediately see the newer Georgian architecture in the neat red brick buildings surrounding the square. From the 13th century to the early 20th century, the castle was under British control. It served from being a royal palace and parliament to a prison. Dublin Castle was eventually handed over to General Michael Collins on the 16th of January in 1922. Collins was a soldier and a politician who lead the Irish people through their fight for Independence Dublin Castle plays a huge role in Ireland's history and a walk around the grounds is time well spent. Today the castle is a government complex and tourist attraction. Stroll through the famous Chester Beatty Library if time permits

Great little museum! I visited the museum of childhood last…read morehalloween with my 9 year old niece, and 11 year old nephew - they loved it - so did I. Not really suitable for very young kids, 'cos they want to touch and play with the toys (some of which are hundred of years old). Tara's Palace itself is stunning - full of miniature antiques - the tiny books in the library are actually real books. I could have spent the day there, but my niece and nephew wanted to go to the playground (which is out of this world). All in all, we had a fantastic day out - thoroughly recommend a visit.

Tara's Palace Museum of Childhood has moved to Powerscourt House, Enniskerry, County Wicklow. We…read morevisited the museum a couple of years ago What a treat ! The entire family loved it. The kids loved the quiz - they had to find answers to questions about exhibits in the museum. The grand parents were in their element reminiscing about bygone days. It has has antique toys, models, miniatures and dolls houses. Tara's Palace is amazing - a 20 room palace full of the most incredible miniature antiques.

The Little Museum of Dublin Famous Guided Tour is perfectly named! It's an awe-inspiring 29-minute…read morestory told by a talented storyteller (shoutout to Lisa) that left me with a strong sense of Ireland's history and more proud than ever to be of Irish descent. I was transfixed by how many stories are shared, made possible by the generosity of the Irish people who donated the artifacts. It's clear the staff share a genuine sense of pride and purpose.

An old house from 1777 turned into a museum. Saul was an…read moreamazing tour guide. He had great energy w/ his storytelling & even danced a jig. Lots to see in this Little museum of history & pop culture. Prices were inexpensive as well. Guides can take tips too. Not a great place young kids.

This isn't the most glamorous museum in Dublin, but it's worth a visit. If you really like seeing…read moreanimals from around the world, you can easily spend a couple hours here. It's several stories and a good way to pass the time between dining reservations, movie times, or just a rainy afternoon. The exhibits, of which there are over 10,000, are very old. The pelts on a lot of the animals are faded. A good portion of the animals were hunted, killed in a time when hunting wasn't as much of a hot button item (the museum was opened in 1857). I'm supremely creeped out by taxidermy, and there is an added level of creepiness and existentialism in viewing creatures that died up to 200 years ago. Still, it's a museum. The interest lies in seeing creatures native to Ireland, ones you haven't seen before, and ones you may never see again. It's not the happiest of museums to walk around in if you're sensitive to the plight of wild animals; however, you might just learn something, which I believe is the whole point of a museum.

Dublin has its fair share of museums that cater to many eclectic interests, but I have to say that…read morethe National Museum of Natural History really takes the cake for being one of the best. Not only is it free (thank you Irish tax payers!) but the sites inside are sort of incredible. Natural history buffs are going to enjoy all the different exhibits on both floors- some of which showcase species that have gone extinct like the giant Irish deer. You learn about the various creatures that once roamed this land and get a glimpse at how much evolution has changed the world. Mind you that it could feel a bit eerie inside given the amount of animals staring down at you, but it really places you in the heart of "Night at the Museum," which is totally what they were going for. Bring your family and stop by. It's certainly worth the half hour to at least roam the world inside!

This was quite the delightful museum in one of the main churches in downtown Kilkenny. We made an…read moreappointment for a tour, a couple weeks ahead of time, it had a very nice time seeing the grounds. As with most places in Ireland, there is an incredible amount of history that had occurred just in the immediate vicinity. We learned about the history of the church, the area, the people who had built it, and the people who have kept it running. There were some pretty amazing artifacts that had come from the grounds, primarily during renovations, and some incredibly ornate headstones. The whole tour lasted about an hour, was contained within the church and the courtyard, and there were also some fun Legos that were hidden throughout the place that kept our kids entertained. Don't forget to go in the upper room. It has a beautiful view out to the city! All in all, this is a great spot and well worth your time.

My sister and I popped into the museum and were greeted by two of the kindest gentlemen working…read morethere, Joe and John. They took over 30 minutes out of their day to tell us the history of Kilkenny and about the architectural features of the city. The museum itself was incredible and did a great job modernizing the facility while respecting and honoring the history. Joe and John made the museum the highlight of our Kilkenny day trip!

What is not to love about art?…read more They have some of the greats like Picasso and and Renoir. Some of the exhibits were closed but this was still worth a visit. Free entry.

The Gallery is centrally located, right on Merrion Square just to the east of Trinity College…read more Located in the city centre of Dublin, the gallery first opened its doors to the public in January 1864. It hosts around 2,500 paintings and about 10,000 other works in different media including water-colours, drawings, prints, and sculptures. It also houses a prestigious collection of Irish art and is also notable for its Dutch masters and Italian Baroque painting. Inside the gallery there are 15,000 works of art! Amongst the paintings and other art works to look out for, there's the Taking of Christ by Caravaggio, For The Road by Jack Yeats and the Sick Call by Mathew James which depicts the suffering of the Irish population following the famine. Amongst them is 'A woman writing a letter with her maidservant' by Johannes Vermeer Free guided tours at weekends are performed, it is a good way to learn the story behind the paintings. Otherwise, the entry to the permanent collection is free, and children can have a special audio guide to explore the gallery. From paintings to modern art, sculptures to a giant wooden carving, we easily spent a few hours there. The museum has a good cafe offering food and beverages, and you can enter off of Merrion Square or on the street

Scholar, linguist, educator, patriot, rebel, poet. All of these words describe Patrick Pearse, and…read morethis museum, set up in the school that he ran, is a fitting homage to the man and his works. Featuring fully furnished rooms to wander around in, a headsman's block, art by his father and his brother William, a visitor can get a feel for both the day to day life of a student and the vision of one of the shining lights of the 1916 rebellion. I particularly liked the various interpretive panels using the memories of people associated with the school, either as visitors, staff, or students. As a long-term visitor to Dublin, I feel surrounded by oblique and overt stories of the various battles, rebellions, executions and betrayals that are representative of Ireland's history. At times, it can be overwhelming and a little puzzling. The Pearse Museum helps to both humanize and explain how that history directly and personally affected the art, language and life of some of the instigators of the 1916 rebellion and, ultimately, of Irish Independance. The museum itself sits in a beautiful park with several larger-than-life sculpture installations, so it's a good place to pack a lunch and spend a few hours inside and outside. As of this writing, the museum features free admission and a visiting exhibition space, currently displaying a static and slightly unsettling exhibit on the history of slavery, past and present. I highly recommend it, especially to American visitors as there are some interesting angles on slavery in America as well as around the world. Bottom Line: Go, learn, enjoy. Think about what it means to be a nationalist.

The Pearse Museum, St Enda's, is located in a lovely demesne variously called 'The Grange' or 'The…read moreHermitage, where St Enda's boys school was located. This museum is dedicated to the memory of Ireland's renowned revolutionary poet, teacher and Gaelgeoir, who lead the 1916 rebellion and was executed for his role in this. The exhibition tells in a very interactive and friendly way, his life, his work, the famous boys school that he established here. It also allows you to see a number of rooms of the old school, which gives you more appreciation for the man, his dreams and works.