Delve Into Ireland's Past in Dublin's Most Fascinating Museums

The home of the GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association), Croke Park is worth a visit for more than just a match. This museum takes visitors on an adventure through the history of Ireland’s national sports – Gaelic football, camogie and hurling – from their ancient origins right through to the modern games played here today. With a Hall of Fame commemorating the most exceptional players through the ages, a trophy room and an interactive area where visitors can try out the sports for themselves, this museum gets you closer to the pitch than ever before. Entry costs €7 for adults and €5 for children, but if you are visiting Croke Park for a match, you can enter the museum for free before the game. Alternatively, a stadium tour also includes a ticket to the museum.

This museum tells the story of why 10 million people left Ireland, where they went and the impact they had on the world. EPIC spotlights the Irish influence on everything from sport and music to science and politics using video, touchscreens and interactive exhibits. Entry to this immersive experience costs €15 for adults and €7.50 for children over six, and the organisers even offer resources to help visitors trace their own Irish heritage. It’s poignantly situated in the Dublin Docklands, an area many Irish emigrants over the centuries would have passed through for the last time when leaving their homeland.

This tenement museum in the north inner city preserves the truth behind the often-overlooked urban history of Dublin. With the help of a tour guide, videos and audio materials, visitors can explore 200 years of the city’s social and architectural history through the lens of this single Georgian house. The museum traces the building’s journey from a luxurious townhouse, built and occupied by members of the aristocracy, to a tenement that housed 100 people in cramped, unhealthy living conditions. Thus, 14 Henrietta Street gives an unvarnished glimpse into the real lives of Dublin’s society, from the highest echelons of the rich to the forgotten poor. It is accessible only by guided tour, which costs €9 for adults and €6 for children over six.