We love geeking out over old stuff like vintage radios, Vikings, and other ancient artifacts. Plus, our kids love asking questions about the past, so we felt like we owed them a little field trip.
Good thing we didn’t need to wish for a time machine to exist! Ireland is home to a number of museums that will help us connect with the past!
So, take a day out and explore, learn, and dive a little deeper into history as we give you a list of museums in Ireland that we love to go back to!
1. Butter Museum
Media credit: @corkonaforkfest
Website: http://www.thebuttermuseum.com/
Address: O’Connell Square, Shandon, Cork, Ireland
Contact Details: +353 21 430 0600
Operating Hours: Saturday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Sunday: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Yes, you read that right—while other places have butter factories, here in Ireland, we have a butter museum. Out here, Irish butter is considered as valuable as gold.
Back in the day (we’re talking about the 1700’s here), Cork was in into some serious butter business. And in this museum, we got to learn more about the dairy culture in Ireland, the butter international trade, and everything in between.
We pretended to be in the butter business too, as we tried creating our first bar of butter. So if you want to try this one out, make sure to drop by on a Saturday as butter demonstrations only happen once a week!
We were also able to see a lot of old steel churns that our old tradesmen used during the commercial butter trade. We also saw small churns that were part of almost every household centuries ago.
And through this trip, we were able to see how the cows played an important role in Ireland, and how the people made sure they were well taken care of.
And if you want to know more about that history, including the success story of the famous butter brand, Kerrygold, make sure to add this museum to your list!
Pro tip:
Consider joining a guided tour for a chance to taste fresh butter at Butter Museum.
2. Doagh Famine Village
Media credit: @bridgetrosemccall
Website: http://www.doaghfaminevillage.com/
Address: Doagh Famine Village, Lagacurry, Ballyliffin, Co. Donegal, F93 PK19
Contact Details: +353 74 937 8078
Doagh Famine Village is an outdoor museum you can visit when you’re in the Donegal area. Here, you can tour an old village that shows you what it was like to live during the Great Famine.
Spoiler alert: it was a bit tough for our team to hear stories about the potato crop infection, and how that greatly affected the food supply which caused the death of more than 100,000 people.
But what stood out during our trip was the dedication and passion we saw on our tour guides’ faces. They were not just there to introduce you to the different sections of the village, they told stories that made it feel like they just happened yesterday.
In fact, the tour guide assigned to us used to live in the village, so the stories were really close to his heart. So if you’re looking for a heartwarming trip, then we highly suggest this one for you.
Your admission also comes with coffee, cake, and a shot of Poitín, a traditional distilled spirit dubbed “Irish Moonshine”.
Pro tip:
Avoid booking during summer, especially if you want to avoid larger crowds at Doagh Famine Village.
3. Carlow Military Museum
Media credit: @carlow_military_museum
Website: http://carlowmilitarymuseum.eu/
Address: Health Services Complex, Athy Rd, Strawhall, Carlow, R93 PK46
Contact Details: +353 87 690 4242
Operating Hours: Wednesday, Friday: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM; Sunday: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
We initially thought we pinned the wrong address as the navigation pointed us to a former church near St. Dympna’s Hospital, but nope, Carlow Military Museum can be found inside.
It’s not one of the grandest museums you can see here in Ireland, but for us, it was interesting to see medals, uniforms, and weapons from Irish soldiers—all in one place.
These items were even donated by the families of these former servicemen and women, which makes it more interesting!
When we were walking around the museum, one of the volunteers approached us and started recounting stories. We realized that he was ex-military, so if you want to hear firsthand experiences up close, then it’s time to plan your visit here.
You can also check out their various exhibits such as World War 1 and 2, UN Peacekeeping, and War of Independence. We personally loved the military vehicles parked around the area!
Pro tip:
Carlow Military Museum often hosts military shows. If you live nearby, you may consider joining their list of concessionaires where you can sell snacks or other merchandise during the event.
4. Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre
Media credit: @mrcjmiller
Website: http://www.battleoftheboyne.ie/
Address: Oldbridge House, Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre, Drogheda, Co. Meath
Contact Details: +353 41 980 9950
Operating Hours: Monday – Sunday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
When we read about the history of the Battle of the Boyne, we watched almost every video we saw on the web. And when we felt like they weren’t enough, we immediately planned a visit to the museum.
After all, we’re pretty visual, so we wanted to see where one of Ireland’s most important battles took place. It’s great that we can freely walk around the field where King William III and King James II fought during the late 1600s.
Some of our friends were not history-lovers, but there’s something about this place that made them understand the story more clearly. You’ll definitely leave the place understanding the political drama even more.
We were also lucky enough to witness one of their live demonstrations where fire muskets showed us how they fought during the battle.
We also brought our dogs with us, so if you’re planning to go there with your furry pals, just keep them on a leash at all times. But remember, you can only take them in the field.
Our trip to this museum has become a calming experience too as we were surrounded by nature and trees. So if you want to relax a little and learn something new at the same time, it could be a good spot for you!
Pro tip:
Consider visiting on a Wednesday so you can take advantage of the free admission at Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre.
5. Glasnevin Cemetery and Museum
Media credit: @experienceglasnevin
Website: https://www.dctrust.ie/experience-glasnevin.html
Address: Finglas Rd, Glasnevin, Dublin, D11 H2TH
Contact Details: +353 1 882 6550
Operating Hours: Monday – Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Okay, if you easily get spooked out just by reading the words grave or cemetery, we’re giving you a chance to skip this. But we think you should hear us out because this could be interesting!
Since we wanted to see where historical Irish figures were buried, we planned a trip to Glasnevin Cemetery and Museum.
And because we wanted our trip to be more interesting, we chose the Dead Interesting tour as it’s more interactive and fun. We suggest that you choose this instead of the main historical tour if you’re curious about the juicy side of Glasnevin.
When we say juicy we mean stories like a man in the 1800s who faked his wife’s death, burying a coffin filled with bricks instead. And also the famous story of Maria Higgins, a woman who was buried twice in the same graveyard.
Now, we’ll stop all the spoilers. It’s a long (and definitely strange) story, so you better hear it yourself during your visit!
Pro tip:
If you plan to reach the peak of the watchtower at Glasnevin Cemetery and Museum, make sure you’re physically ready to climb 198 steps!
6. Irish Jewish Museum
Media credit: @irishjewishmuseum
Website: http://jewishmuseum.ie/
Address: 3 Walworth Rd, Portobello, Dublin 8, D08 TD29
Contact Details: +353 89 426 3625
Operating Hours: Sunday: 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM
Before World War II, Dublin was home to over 5,000 Jews. They used to live on this side of Portobello, which they used to call Little Jerusalem.
Today, it’s widely known for the Irish Jewish Museum, so if you want to take a peek into their lives, you should pay a visit. What’s more interesting is that it’s located in an old synagogue.
Make sure to head upstairs if you want to see how the congregation looked back in the day. We also checked out old photos of different Jewish families, including memorabilia from the Herzog family.
Pro tip:
Don’t forget to check where the original kitchen was located in the museum. It’s your chance to see what a Sabbath meal setting looks like during the early 1900s!
7. The Little Museum of Dublin
Media credit: @rachmarie.s
Website: http://www.littlemuseum.ie/
Address: 33 Pembroke Street Lower, Dublin 2, D02 FK06
Contact Details: +353 1 661 1000
Operating Hours: Monday – Sunday: 9:45 AM – 4:30 PM
If you want to know the entire history of Dublin but don’t have the energy to roam around a huge museum, The Little Museum of Dublin is the one for you. It is, quite literally, little!
This museum may be small, but every story that you’ve heard from your granny (at least those that she could still remember clearly) can be found here.
Here, you can see old newspapers, an old lemonade bottle, vintage advertisements, bingo cards from the 1930s, and a tram ticket from the 1950s.
As U2 fans, our favorite part of the museum was an entire section dedicated to the band, because, duh, it’s Dublin!
So, even though we’ve been living in Ireland for a long time, our trip at The Little Museum of Dublin served as a not-so-little crash course about the city. The bonus part is that we didn’t have to be stuck inside for an entire day!
Pro tip:
Since you’ve got plenty of time after the tour, grab a coffee at the cafe found across The Little Museum of Dublin. Just show your admission tickets to avail 10% discount!
8. The National Famine Museum
Media credit: @strokestownpark
Website: https://strokestownpark.ie/
Address: Park & The National Famine Museum, Cloonradoon, Strokestown, Co. Roscommon, F42 H282
Contact Details: +353 71 963 3013
Operating Hours: Monday – Sunday: 10:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Before visiting The National Famine Museum, make sure you’re in the right headspace to hear emotional and eye-opening stories about the darkest chapter in Ireland’s past.
Here, we saw how the gentry and servants lived in an Irish country house. It was actually interesting to see all the original art collections, including all the everyday items in the grand rooms and servants’ quarters.
If you feel like your heart can still take the emotional toll, consider reading letters found in the museum’s exhibition. We couldn’t help but cry when we read about various letters written by tenants as they desperately pleaded for help.
We also saw the emigration lists and land agent reports which gave us a glimpse of those who lived and died during the famine years.
Pro tip:
Consider walking at The National Famine Way, a pathway that 1,490 tenants walked on as they were forced to leave their homes during the famine.
9. Ye Olde Hurdy Gurdy Museum of Vintage Radio
Media credit: @mrjoebee
Website: https://howthradiomuseum.rezgo.com/
Address: Martello Tower, 2 Abbey St, Howth, Dublin, D13 V099
Contact Details: +353 86 381 8865
Operating Hours: Saturday: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
If you love old, quirky things then consider visiting the Ye Olde Hurdy Gurdy Museum of Vintage Radio. We honestly thought that it was similar to a normal vintage shop, but we’re glad we made this trip.
After all the emotional tours from the other museums in Ireland, it’s actually interesting (and a breather) to see the history of telecommunications from the 1840s up to the present day.
Once you step inside the museum, you’ll immediately find music boxes, posters, needle boxes, old TVs, gramophones, and Morse code machines. We actually imagined that it was like a collection of a “techy guy” back in the day!
It’s also a great place to learn about the history of radio. In fact, Pat Herbert, the head collector of radios, allowed the set up of the EI0MAR station in Martello Tower—yes, this very tower!
Pro tip:
Since you’re allowed to touch most of the vintage items here at Ye Olde Hurdy Gurdy Museum of Vintage Radio, take some time to listen to an old radio broadcast.
10. Dublinia
Media credit: @adventureslex
Website: https://www.dublinia.ie/
Address: St Michaels Hill Christ Church, Dublin 8
Contact Details: +353 1 679 4611
Operating Hours: Monday – Sunday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Is it just us or walking here at Dublinia makes us feel like we’re about to see Ragnar Lothbrok in person? Well, for some people they said it feels like they’re in Universal Studios—with all things medieval!
Walking around the museum is purely hands-on and interactive. We even tried lifting a really heavy helmet, because we foolishly thought we could wear it!
And when we say interactive, we mean it involves all our senses! When we were walking along the medieval pathway, it was a bit stinky, and we’re not even sure if that’s intentional.
While we were at Dublinia, we also took our chance to watch medieval magic and rituals like the traditional Mummer’s Play and the Brian Boru ritual. You should attend this if you love theatrical performances.
Pro tip:
Consider climbing up Dublinia’s St. Michael’s Tower to get the best views of the city.