Músaem Staire Náisiúnta

National History Museum

The museum is located on Merrion Street which is a 2-min walk from the National Gallery of Ireland

In 1856 the Royal Dublin Society's collection was growing and needed a place to house its collection. Leske's collection was one of the largest in Europe of natural history and this collection was bought by the Society in 1792. The collection was expnaded by travelling all over Ireland and even ventured internationally where he even visited Greenland during the expansion of the collection.

Exhibitions

The Irish Room

On the ground floor of the museum you will find a collection of the skeletons and skulls of dead animals. There is a basking shark that hangs from the ceilling and many skeletons of Irish deer. Along with other deer artefacts there are also insects and other animals that can be found in Ireland and also ones that are native to Ireland along with other mammals, birds and fish. There are animals there that are over a century old including well-known ones such as badgers, foxes and hares.

First Floor

On the first floor of the museum displays mammals that are from all over the world that wouldn't be seen in Ireland. You can explore the species of the world that are endangered or extinct. Many of the species thar are mounted were either donated or bought from the Royal Zoological Gardens in Dublin.

OTHER FREE ATTRACTIONS ALERT

• The Hop-on Hop-off Tour will drop you on Merrion Street Upper which is right beside the Archaeological Museum of Ireland

• Also at Merrion Street Upper is Leinster House.

• On Nassau Street is the National Library and Trinity College where the Book of Kells is located.

• St. Stephen's Green and across the road is the Little Museum (free with a Hop-on Hop-off Ticket)

• At Cork Hill is Dublin Castle home to Chester Beatty Library

• At the Royal Hospital there is IMMA which is the Museum of Modern Art

• On Sarsfield Quay is the Decorative Arts and Hisotry Museum at Collins Barracks.