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!
- Slow Looking Tour - Recovered Voices: Stories and Experiences of the Irish during World War One
Family funSlow Looking Tour - Recovered Voices: Stories and Experiences of the Irish during World War One Join us for a reflective and slow-looking tour of the Recovered Voices; Stories of the Irish at War, 1914-1915 gallery, where one of our expert guides will share the stories behind objects relating to Irish men and women impacted by the war.
- Easter School Holidays Family Drop-ins at the Dead Zoo Lab
Family funEaster School Holidays Family Drop-ins at the Dead Zoo Lab Drop into the Discovery Zone in the Dead Zoo Lab at Collins Barracks this Easter school holidays. Bring the family along and join a short activity to learn more about natural history.
- April Fools' Day Hands-on History: Fact or Fiction?
Family funApril Fools' Day Hands-on History: Fact or Fiction? This April Fools' Day, see if you can separate fact from fiction in a special handling session at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks.
- Hop into History Easter Museum Trail
Family funHop into History Easter Museum Trail Hop in to History. Hop on down to The National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks this Easter to explore our Easter Trail.
- LGBTQIA+ Tours of Collins Barracks
Family funLGBTQIA+ Tours of Collins Barracks Explore the National Museum through an LGBTQIA+ lens on our brand new tour, available on Sat 4th April 2026. This new guided LGBTQIA+ tour views the exhibitions through alternative lenses, bringing some hidden histories and perspectives to the fore.
- 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!
- 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.
