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.
- February Tours at Collins Barracks
Family funFebruary Tours at Collins Barracks Spring in to February with a range of engaging, free public tours at Collins Barracks! This Valentines day, go on our Love, Then and Now tour to follow the fun, surprising ways people have shared affection across Ireland’s past.
- LGBTQIA+ Tour of Collins Barracks
Free things to doLGBTQIA+ Tour of Collins Barracks Explore the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks through an LGBTQIA+ lens on our brand new tour.
- Valentine's Weekend - Love, Then and Now: Stories from the National Museum's Collection
Family funValentine's Weekend - Love, Then and Now: Stories from the National Museum's Collection This Valentine's weekend, make a date with the past at the National Museum, Collins Barracks and immerse yourself in love stories throughout Irish history.
- February Midterm at Collins Barracks
Family funFebruary Midterm at Collins Barracks Drop in to Collins Barracks for free family fun this February midterm with a range of tours and activities.
- February Family Drop-Ins at the Dead Zoo Lab
Family funFebruary Family Drop-Ins at the Dead Zoo Lab Drop into the new Dead Zoo Lab at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks this February and get to grips with Nature.
- February Midterm Drop-Ins at the Dead Zoo Lab
Family funFebruary Midterm Drop-Ins at the Dead Zoo Lab Drop into the new Dead Zoo Lab at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks this February Midterm.
- Lunar New Year: A Dubliner's Collection of Asian Art Guided tour- Bilingual Mandarin/English
Family funLunar New Year: A Dubliner's Collection of Asian Art Guided tour- Bilingual Mandarin/English 2026 is the Year of the Horse! Join Evan Furlong on a tour of the Albert Bender collection at Collins Barracks in celebration of the Lunar New Year.
- Midterm Family Guided Tours - Who's Fooling Who?
Family funMidterm Family Guided Tours - Who's Fooling Who? Drop by Collins Barracks this February Midterm and challenge yourself with our Who's Fooling Who? Family Guided Tour.
