National Museum of Ireland - Archaeology

Step Back in Time at the National Museum of Archaeology in Dublin

When you walk into the National Museum of Archaeology in Dublin, you get transported to a time in the past. You're immediately surrounded by Ireland's rich history, from ancient gold artifacts to Viking weapons. The museum's Gold Room is a real sight to see. It's holds the largest collection of prehistoric gold objects in Europe. You'll be surpised at the level of detail seen in the shiny treasures.

Discover Hidden Stories at the Archaeology Museum in Dublin

Ever wonder what life was like for the first people who lived in Ireland? The museum's Stone Age exhibit is a perfect representation of that time. You'll see tools made from flint and ancient pottery. But it's not all about the distant past. The museum also dives into more recent history like the Irish Civil War. They've got original letters and diaries that people used to capture a difficult time. Don't miss out on this experience with the Go City® Dublin Pass.

Highlights

• Viking collection
• Stone Age collection
• Ancient Egyptian collection
• Post-medieval collection

Did you know

• The name ‘Viking’ means pirate raid in the Old Norse language
• The oldest stone tool as evidence of the Stone Age dates back almost 3.4 million years old and was found in Ethiopia
• The Pyramid of Khufu at Giza is the largest Egyptian pyramid which weighs the equivalent of 16 Empire State Buildings!

Things to see

The Treasury

Take time at The Treasury, which features outstanding examples of Celtic and Medieval art, such as the famous Ardagh Chalice, the Tara Brooch and the Derrynaflan Hoard. Gaze in wonder at the finest collection of prehistoric gold artifacts in Europe, which is to found in Ór – Ireland’s Gold.

Prehistoric to Post Medieval Ireland

Take a walk through Prehistoric Ireland and experience life at the time of the Vikings in Viking Age Ireland, how Ireland would have looked in the Stone Age and where the earliest settlements can be traced back to. Medieval Ireland, 1150-1550, documents life in Ireland in the age of cathedrals, monasteries and castles. The fascinating Kingship & Sacrifice exhibition centers on a number of recently found bog bodies dating back to the Iron Age. All exhibitions are a fascinating opportunity to come face to face with your ancient ancestors.

Ancient Egypt exhibition

The majority of Egyptian artifacts were acquired from excavations carried out in Egypt between the 1890s and the 1920s and range in date from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages. The exhibition includes finds collected by Irish travelers such as Lady Harriet Kavanagh.

Among the most important objects exhibited are the gilt and painted cartonnage case of the mummy Tentdinebu dated to the 22nd Dynasty c. 945 - 716 BC; the mummy portraits of a woman and a young boy from Hawara dated to the first/second century AD; and a model of a wooden boat dated to the early 12th Dynasty c. 1900 BC. There is also a number of important stelae, tomb furniture, offering tables, jewelry and household equipment.

The National Museum’s Egyptian collection comprises about three thousand objects including important stelae, tomb furniture, offering tables, jewelry, household equipment and more.

Ceramics & Glass from Ancient Cyprus

This exhibition focuses on Cypriot artifacts in the collection of the National Museum of Ireland, many of which have never been exhibited before. Most of the pieces are ceramic and probably come from tombs uncovered in the 19th Century. The artifacts range in date from the Bronze Age, approximately 2500 BC, to the late Roman period, about 300 AD, and are arranged chronologically. The exhibition also includes five clay figurines on loan from the Cyprus Museum, Nicosia.

See the full list of exhibitions by visiting museum.ie.