The Natural History Museum is the museum of museums is famous for its Victorian cabinet style, which houses one of the world’s finest and fullest collections’ still to be seen today. This museum of museums is famous for its Victorian cabinet style, which houses one of the world’s finest and fullest collections still to be seen today. Two million species, of which roughly half are insects, live side by side with, appropriately for a natural history museum, decorated and sculptured panels depicting mythological figures.
Collections & Research
Designed as part of an extension to Leinster House, it offered room for ever-increasing specimens. Under the direction of Alexander Carte, the museum flourished, welcoming zoological and geological treasures from Irish explorers like Sir Francis McClintock and Sir William Wilde. The original Natural History Museum in Dublin was built to accommodate the society’s zoological and geological specimens that were collected during the 19th century. The largest of the collections, in terms of numbers, is the extensive insect collection, which accounts for about half of all specimens. In 1877 ownership of the Museum and its collections was transferred to the state.
Highlights include a 20-meter-long whale skeleton and giant deer skeletons, not to mention countless naturalized animals used in dioramas in scenes that will appeal to young and old alike. It is affectionately called the ‘Dead Zoo’ and has hardly changed in over 150 years from the Victorian period. The collections are used as a reference resource by staff and research visitors, and play an important role in the identification of specimens such as insect pests that may have considerable economic significance.
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The Natural History Museum features huge gallery of animals from Ireland and overseas. It’s an opportunity for the whole family to discover the world’s great species (extinct or still alive), to raise awareness of the need to respect the planet, and to learn more about the characteristics of each species. The Museum of Natural History is a stone’s throw from many of the best places to visit in Dublin, from parks and historical sites to museums and more.
Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether. Get up-close to the toothy African Hippo, among other amazing examples of larger mammals preserved by taxidermy. Other animal exhibits in this section include all different types of monkeys and primates. See and learn about peregrine falcons, owls, native insects, trout and a very rare lobster, among other items in the museum collections. Events are not just for children – there are lots of adult activities where you can engage with like-minded visitors and learn more from the knowledgeable museum staff and curators.
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Key exhibits will reopen at a temporary “Dead Zoo Lab” in Collins Barracks from spring 2025. It’s a 3-minute walk from the National Gallery of Ireland, a 4-minute walk from Merrion Square and a 10-minute walk from St Stephen’s Green. Opened in 1857, the Natural History Museum is Dublin’s Victorian time capsule and you’ll hear it affectionally referred to as the “Dead Zoo”. A range of engaging learning resources for exploring, enjoying and learning through the Collections at the Museum.
- Under the direction of Alexander Carte, the museum flourished, welcoming zoological and geological treasures from Irish explorers like Sir Francis McClintock and Sir William Wilde.
- It occupies a building that dates back to 1856 and was an extension to Leinster House, which housed the Royal Dublin Society.
- Designed as part of an extension to Leinster House, it offered room for ever-increasing specimens.
- Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether.
- This scheme demonstrated the diversity of animal life in an evolutionary sequence.
National Museum of Ireland – Natural History
- It is affectionately called the ‘Dead Zoo’ and has hardly changed in over 150 years from the Victorian period.
- The Natural History branch of the National Museum of Ireland is the country’s leading cultural institution.
- The work needed to fix this Victorian museum will take some time and is part of a larger-scale refurbishment project of the entire building, which is planned under the National Development Plan.
- The Natural History Museum (“Dead Zoo”) is currently closed for major renovations.
- Since then, the establishment has never ceased to welcome a public increasingly fascinated by its collection.
The Office of Public Works have built a roof access platform underneath the glass ceiling to investigate the roof and understand the structure of the building, which is over 160 years old. The work needed to fix this asset definition accounting Victorian museum will take some time and is part of a larger-scale refurbishment project of the entire building, which is planned under the National Development Plan. The building and its displays reflect many aspects of the history and development of the collections.
Museums & Galleries, General Attractions
It was originally built as an extension to Leinster House, where the Royal Dublin Society was based for much of the 19th Century. Keith O’Hara has lived in Ireland for 35 years and has spent much of the last 13 creating what is now The Irish Road Trip guide. Over the years, the website has published thousands of meticulously researched Ireland travel guides, welcoming 40 million+ visitors along the way. In 2022, the Irish Road Trip team published the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries.
The museum is closed for the foreseeable future to enable the first phase of refurbishment works. The Natural History division cares for the state collections in the disciplines of zoology and geology. The botanical collections of the Museum were transferred to the National Botanic Gardens in 1970. The Natural History Museum was founded in 1857 by the famous explorer David Livingstone. Since then, the establishment has never ceased to welcome a public increasingly fascinated by its collection. Here, you’ll find everything from hike and hotel guides to the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries.
By the early 1800s, the growing collection moved into Leinster House, where it shared space with a lecture hall, library, and laboratory. For decades, the RDS showcased Ireland’s natural wonders here, sparking public curiosity with limited viewing hours. The roots of Dublin’s Natural History Museum stretch back to 1792, when the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) acquired the Leskean Cabinet, a vast collection of geological and mineralogical specimens.
New funding was provided for the building, and new animals were added from an expanding British empire during the great days of exploration. The building was constructed in 1856 to house the Royal Dublin Society’s growing collections, which had expanded continually since the late 18th Century. These represent only a tiny fraction of a collection that is estimated at about two million scientific specimens. One of the most popular events is the Open House where you can join in the discussion with staff and learn about the challenges of looking after Ireland’s oldest museum. Check out their calendar of events and attend a talk, join a tour or be part of a fun activity. The museum opened to the public in 1857 and became part of the Museum of Science & Art, Dublin in 1877 when it was combined with collections from the Royal Irish Academy and Trinity College Dublin.
While renovations are underway, the Merrion Street site remains a powerful reminder of Ireland’s scientific heritage and the generations of collectors and curators who preserved it. The Natural History branch of the National Museum of Ireland is the country’s leading cultural institution. It occupies a building that dates back to 1856 and was an extension to Leinster House, which housed the Royal Dublin Society. The Natural History Museum (“Dead Zoo”) is currently closed for major renovations.
Staff carry out field work, publish their own research and assist visitors who are also involved in scientific publications. Time is also spent acquiring new examples of the Irish fauna through regular fieldwork. In 1856, construction began on the Merrion Street building that still houses the museum today. Step inside and you’re met with creaking floors, endless glass cases, and thousands of creatures frozen mid-snarl, mid-flight, and mid-leap, offering a rare glimpse into 19th-century science.
Inspired by the Victorian Cabinets of Curiosity (every serious collector had at least one!) the Wonder Cabinet has some of the most interesting exhibits in the museum. The Wonder Cabinet is the place to get up-close to some real and replica specimens in a new interactive zone at the Natural History Museum in Dublin. There’s plenty to explore at the Museum of Natural History, with displays that’ll capture the imagination of young and old alike.