Collins Barracks in Dublin City, named after famed Michael Collins, could be said to be the National Museum of Ireland's largest artefact, having had a unique history all of its own in another life. It housed both British Armed Forces and Irish army garrisons over three centuries. Built in 1702, the complex's main buildings are Neoclassical in style. Collins Barracks has been completely renovated and restored to become the National Museum of Decorative Arts and History, charting Ireland's economic, social, political and military progress through the ages.
Exhibits:
Irish Wars 1917 to 1923 and the 1916 Rising; Soldiers & Chiefs - Irish at war from 1550 to present day;
Photography of the revolutionary era in Ireland; 1000 years of Irish coin and currency; Irish country furniture and four centuries of furnishing;
The Way We Were - antique clothing and crafts; Sacred Art of Ireland 1600 to 1750; Irish silver exhibition; Eileen Gray exhibition;
A Dubliner's Collection of Asian Art - Albert Bender Collection; 21st century Irish Craft; Ib Jorgensen Fashion Retrospective; the Asgard, a restored sailboat with pivotal role in the 1914 Howth gun running story; and more.
Artefacts on display range from silver, ceramic and glassware pieces to weaponry, furniture, examples of folk life and costume. All of these are displayed with imagination in innovative and contemporary galleries, which entice you to go further, look harder and examine more closely.
- Who's Fooling Who? April Fools' Museum Trail
Family funWho's Fooling Who? April Fools' Museum Trail Visit Collins Barracks this Easter midterm and put your detective skills to the test with our "Who's Fooling Who?" April Fools' Museum Trail!
- April Tours at Collins Barracks
Family funApril Tours at Collins Barracks This April, visit Collins Barracks for a wide range of free public tours exploring the Museum's collections!
- Catalpa 150
Free things to doCatalpa 150 Experience a unique moment in history through the dramatic story of the Catalpa rescue and the rare public display of its flag.
- Relaxed Sensory Friendly Children’s Workshop: Clarke’s Colourful Creations
Family funRelaxed Sensory Friendly Children’s Workshop: Clarke’s Colourful Creations Explore Light, Colour & Creativity in Clarke’s Sensory‑Friendly Stained‑Glass Workshop for Autism Awareness Month.
- Easter Rising Commemoration Events at Collins Barracks
Family funEaster Rising Commemoration Events at Collins Barracks Join us for a weekend of tours and an interactive object handling in commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising, and learn about the men and women involved in this historic event.
- Slow Looking Tour - Revolutionary Women: Representations through Soldiers and Chiefs
Family funSlow Looking Tour - Revolutionary Women: Representations through Soldiers and Chiefs Explore the roles of revolutionary women in Ireland’s conflicts on a calm, reflective slow‑looking tour through Soldiers and Chiefs.
- Wider Than Pictures 2026
Wider Than Pictures 2026 Wider Than Pictures is back for their annual summer series at National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks this summer!
