Absolutely fantastic collection of Irish historical finds…read more The bogs of Ireland preserved things such as fish traps, textiles, lots of gold jewelry, and, most notably, some human beings. The acidic and anaerobic nature of the peat bog was so effective at preserving these bodies that we even knew what the men had been eating. And even more interesting - the methods that had been used to MURDER them so long ago. Because these men had not just randomly fallen into the bog, oh no; there are all sorts of things to learn including why the nipples were cut off! But I will refrain from going in to more detail. If you are interested, and are in Dublin, you MUST go there yourself. It is free so you have no excuse not to. Well, unless you are not interested in things such as I described here. Whatever. Note: there is not a cafe in the museum, and no storage lockers for your bag. Also, I thought the gift shop was pretty boring as it had very few things that were relevant to the museum displays. Which is disappointing as the museum artifacts themselves are very local and specific to Ireland and are extremely interesting.

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.

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.

Nice self guided your for the price. There were lots of tombs and old artifacts as well as two…read moreskeletal remains on display. It is not crowded like many other places either.

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.

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

This fantastic historic resource has almost had the chop a few times over the past few years (a bit…read morelike some of the past inmates heads come to think of it!) ... I sincerely hope it survives the impending draconian cuts about to be imposed by the muppets in charge of our green shore. Anyway, its one of the better tours on the southeast coast. The head Jailer starts out as your guide and welcomes you to the last stop before being committed to a torturous journey across the sea to hard labour in some far flung shore down under - in most cases in those days it was a one way ticket, a ticket the Jailer reminded me that could be had, for something as simple as catching a rabbit because your children were hungry.... The prison is a sombre place and manages to evoke deep feelings - take your time to really examine the artifacts - lift the lids of the wooden seat/beds and read the (genuine) inscriptions carved underneath as an epitaph by those who had a one way sailing... My tip for visiting this place is to call them well in advance - they sometimes have ghost evenings, pig roasts and wine evenings - it can only add to the atmosphere so well worth maximising your trip/time!

Wicklow Gaol, right in the heart of Wicklow town, is well worth a visit if you're in that part of…read morethe South East. You can journey through the Gaol on your own with the help of a very good interactive system (multimedia audio handsets are provided) which takes you way back in time to the 1700's. There are wonderful holographic projections of cruel prison guards with realistic sounds of cries from the 1798 rebels and other prisoners. Three prison floors have been transformed and actually preserved (with original graffiti still visible) to give a very good visual recreation of Irish History, spread over 200 years, through the eyes of the inmates. If you are a bit squeamish, then I would avoid the dungeon for here you will see the torture methods used, the horrid ill treatment of prisoners, lots of whom were incarcerated for petty crime such as stealing food and clothes etc. You will learn about the agonizing journey of prisoners, some as young as 11 years old, to Van Diemen's Land, experience the overcrowding and spread of dreadful and fatal diseases during the famine era, and also learn about the Irish War of Independence and the Civil War following which the Wicklow Gaol closed its prison doors for good. I understand the Museum caters for School tours and kids parties as well as spooky banquets for special occasions and nighttime tours.

The Famous Guided Tour at the Little Museum of Dublin is perfectly named. In just 30-ish minutes,…read moreGeorge delivered an awe-inspiring blend of storytelling, humor, and song that left me with a deeper appreciation for Ireland's rich history. I was completely intrigued by the number of stories packed into such a short tour, all made possible through the generosity by the people of Ireand who donated the museum's artifacts. The passion and pride of the staff shine through in every moment. This is an absolute cute, educational must-do experience in Dublin!

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!

I took a short, last-minute solo trip to Howth this morning and hadn't previously known about Ye…read moreOlde Hurdy Gurdy Museum of Vintage Radio until I saw it on my map as I was walking nearby. I am so glad I did! This experience was amazing and the setup is incredibly aesthetically pleasing. The museum is inside of a Martello tower and is run by the sweetest man in the world. He is so knowledgeable and so very passionate about everything in there. I could have listened to him speak all day if I had more time before my train. I am 20 and know almost nothing about vintage radios but I was fascinated by every single thing. This is no doubt a must see for all ages. I am also a student so admission was only €3! Please stop by--You will not be disappointed!

Inside this Martello tower - the site of the first successful 'wireless' transmissions between…read moreHowth and Holyhead - hides a magnificent collection of all things related to wireless communications. If you're a radio enthusiast or just curious about the story of communications, I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time here. The 5€ - 3€ if you're a student - are worth every cent and you also get a pretty Howth postcard in lieu of a ticket. This museum is absolutely stuffed to the ceiling with radios old and new, telegraphs, amateur kits, posters and paintings, novelty items from the 20th century and everything else you can think of that's even remotely related to radio. Some of the displays are still a bit cluttered and unlit, but it's a work in progress and you'll be able to see everything you want to. Our guide, Richard, was clearly a radio enthusiast himself and gave as brilliant tour of the place, answering our questions and speaking with true passion about everything. He'll show you how even the older and more rudimentary equipments still work and amaze you with the demonstrations of this simple yet powerful set of technologies. If you're visiting this part of Dublin, I vividly recommend visiting the Hurdy Gurdy Museum.

Jeebus... where to start on this one!? Newgrange is a 5000 year old tombe and religious site...erm…read morewe think! As with all such sites (the pyrimids in Egypt and Stonehenge in the UK are comprable examples) we can only guess at what the builders had in mind. To say we are lucky to have a site as impressive and important as this on our doorstep (about an hour and a bit from Dublin) is a huge understatement, it looks as impressive is it should be after a reconstruction some 30 years ago by a bunch of very very clever archaeologists. the results can be viewed by booking in advance and putting your name down for the 3 year waiting lists to be there at the summer and winter solstices. Opening times February - April: Daily 09.30 - 17.30. May: Daily 09.00 - 18.30. June - Mid September: Daily 09.00 - 19.00. Mid - End September: Daily 09.00 - 18.30. October: Daily 09.30 - 17.30. November - January: Daily 09.00 - 17.00.

If you come to Dublin this UNESCO world heritage site is a "must see". Everything I want to say…read morewill just be repeating the many good reasons to come here so read beyond my post and I'll keep mine short. - 5,000 year old tombs (New Grange, Knowth & Dowth) that are older than the pyramids and you can actually go inside New Grange. - 60% of Western Europe's neolithic art is found in the area. - inside the New Grange tomb is like going back in time, keep in mind these tombs were built with no modern tools at all and yet they knew how to build them and align the entrance on some, so they light up during the solstice. - friendly, knowledgeable guides. - well organised, small groups are taken in by bus rather than a mob of people overrunning the place so you can actually see and take it all in. - buy your tickets online and go early - a great Visitors Center gives you the backstory of the tomb's history before your tour.

i thought it was a very unusual sculpture park. Some really cool pieces. I will be honest the…read morezombie dark sculpture in the pond was what caused me to make this our first stop. We flew into Dublin and this was our first stop. There was a small charge. We hadn't exchanged money but we scanned bar code to pay. It wasn't crowded but there were several other cars. Wish had more time to enjoy this place and the birds in the woods but we had a long way to go.