Free museums galore. 🙂
As a student (and one reaching the end of her studies at that), I can proudly admit that the financial struggle is real. As excited as I was about studying abroad, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t also nervous about the extra money that decision would cost both me and my wonderful parents who always help me out in any way they can.
Thus began the journey of doing as many free things in Dublin as I possibly could and the following list of nine free museums that give you a wonderful experience without costing you a dime.
I’d also like to note that just because these places are free does not mean they are not absolutely incredible. They are all museums I genuinely would have been willing to pay for.
So without further ado…
- National Gallery of Ireland
The National Gallery of Ireland consists of story after story and room after room filled with beautiful pieces of art. Whether you’re a fan of Renaissance art or the Impressionists, you’re bound to find something that will leave you speechless. Here are a few of my favorites.
While I wasn’t familiar with the museum’s more popular pieces, I nonetheless wanted to list a few of them in case any fellow art nerds are interested in checking them out. Some of the more popular pieces include paintings by artists such as Mantegna, Titian, Monet and Picasso. You can learn more about the museum and artwork it holds here.
One room in the gallery was filled completely with mosaic pieces such as these, which I was a big fan of.
In addition to the beautiful paintings, I also wanted to mention that I have never seen such beautiful frames in my life. Here’s a beautiful frame for you to admire as well as a lovely little cupid baby.
The architecture of the building was breathtaking as well.
- National Museum of Ireland – Archeology
This place was also super cool. I’m not the biggest nerd for archeology so if you are you might freak out a little more than I, but there were definitely quite a few things in there that blew my mind.
The most mind blowing of which were two exhibits of preserved bodies from the Iron Age.
When we first saw them, my roommate and I weren’t sure what I were looking at. The bodies were so well preserved that they almost looked fake. They looked like they were made of wax or something like it. I didn’t take a picture of them because it honestly just didn’t feel right, but you can learn more about them here.
- National Museum of Ireland – Natural History Museum
Okay, this museum was quite possibly my favorite. Now I’m probably just dumb and didn’t know what natural history museums contain, but I was not expecting what we found at all. The natural history museum had taxidermy of just about every possible animal and bug you could think of inside it. I’m talking polar bears, sea slugs, and whatever the hell these are.
The museum itself wasn’t very big but man was it jam packed with interesting things to look at. I could have stayed in there for days and still found creatures I didn’t even know existed.
Now, if taxidermy isn’t your thing or you don’t like looking at animals after they’ve died definitely bypass this one. That’s not to say that you have to be “into” that either to enjoy this museum. Seeing a dead family of badgers didn’t exactly make me happy but being able to examine them as well as a plethora of other creatures up close that I hadn’t seen before was still interesting to me.
You can learn more about the museum here.
- National Library of Ireland
First and foremost: The part of the library that holds books is not open on Sundays so don’t try to go there then like my roommate and I did because you also will be very disappointed.
If you do, however, you will still find an exhibit to walk through. When we went it was an exhibit on William Yeats but sadly that’s all we got to see.
As interesting as the exhibit was (I’m sure moreso if you’re a big Yeats fan), I would love to go back and see the library itself. You can learn more about it here.
And here’s a picture I found online.
While I wasn’t able to visit these last few myself, here are some more you can and definitely should check out as well.
- Irish Museum of Modern Art
With over 3,500 artworks by Irish and International artists, IMMA contains the National Collection of Modern and Contemporary Art. Its collection includes pieces from hundreds of artists. You can see a full list of them here.
- Hugh Lane Gallery
At this gallery, you will find an exceptional collection of pieces focused on modern and contemporary art and excellence in Irish art practice. It even includes the entirety of Francis Bacon’s studio, which was removed in London and transported all the way to Dublin. You can read all about the museum and that crazy detail here.
- National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts & History
The primary goal of this museum is to promote a wider understanding of Ireland’s decorative arts, culture and historical heritage. With an estimated 150,000 objects, you’re bound to find something of interest to you. You can read more about the museum here.
While the following places are free to enter, some parts of them are ticketed:
- Science Gallery
At Science Gallery at Trinity College Dublin you can find contemporary art and science exhibitions as well as events including talks, workshops, music performances, food presentations and film screenings. It opens three thrilling and diverse exhibitions a year, which you can read more about here.
- Dublin Castle
Erected in the early thirteenth century and the headquarters of English, and later British, administration in Ireland for centuries, Dublin Castle is now a government complex and tourist attraction. You can read more about it here.
I hope you all get to visit one or all of these places yourself!
Sierra Sage 
I did not think that’s what a skeleton of a stag or deer or elk would look like but my god is it frightening
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ahaha yeah I’m not sure exactly what animal it is either, but it’s definitely huge.
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