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Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
The Little Museum of Dublin reopens on St Stephen's Green after €4.3m refit
The museum had closed its temporary address on 33 Pembroke Street in May to move back into its original refurbished location. Today's official re-opening, attended by Lord Mayor of Dublin, Emma Blain, will allow visitors to enjoy an expanded and reimagined exhibition space and a new reception area. The museum will also welcome a new youth education space, an integrated lift to improve accessibility, a sun-trap patio and an enriched collection of artefacts donated by the people of Ireland. Since its first opening in 2011, the museum has welcomed over one million visitors and remains the titular placeholder for the top spot for Things To Do in Dublin, according to TripAdvisor. The reimagining of the Little Museum of Dublin was partly funded by Fáilte Ireland, along with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts Gaeltacht, Sport & Media. Dublin City Council and private donations got renovations over the line. The museum will open seven days a week from 9.30am to 5pm and will continue to offer guided tours every forty minutes. A new walking tour, The Little Walking Tour of St Stephen's Green, will take place each afternoon at 2.15pm. The walking tours include The Official Walk of Shame, The Football Walking Tour, The Freedom of Dublin and more. Speaking at the launch, Sarah Clancy, CEO of the Little Museum of Dublin, said: 'Thanks to the generosity of the Irish people, the support of the state and the talent of our team, we have managed to reimagine the Little Museum of Dublin for generations to come. 'We are so proud to be reopening our doors and welcoming guests back into our newly renovated and accessible museum at 15 St Stephen's Green.' Lord Mayor Emma Blain added: 'I am delighted to see the Little Museum of Dublin on St Stephen's Green reopen its doors after two years. It is such a great addition to the city centre, bringing Dublin to life in a very real way.' Among the newest artefacts on display are everything from the first ever medal awarded to William Deans under the states Bravery Act 1947, to Mary McAleese's First Holy Communion Rosary beads donated by the [former] President herself. Mary Stack, Head of Product Development – Attractions at Fáilte Ireland said that projected visitor numbers are expected to rise to over 5,000 annually by 2035, with the redevelopment is set to generate an economic impact of €24.7m over the next decade.
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- General
- RTÉ News
Dublin city museum to reopen after two year refurbishment
The thumb of a statue in O'Connell Street that was a casualty of the Italia 90 homecoming, bottles from Dublin's original craft beer producers and swearing Podge and Rodge toys are among the artefacts that can be seen as the Little Museum of Dublin reopens its doors on St Stephen's Green on Wednesday after a two year makeover. The re-imagined attraction tells the social and cultural hsitory of Dublin through everyday items donated by members of the public. Since it opened its doors in 2011, the museum has accumulated more than 6,000 objects which it has curated to tell an offbeat and often humorous history of the capital. The eclectic collection, which began with a millennium milk bottle, now includes everything from Mary McAleese's communion rosary beads to medicines owned by Marty Whelan's mother. A class picture from Mount Temple Secondary School featuring the future members of U2 are among the new additions to the collection in the now expanded and accessible space, which included a dedicated U2 and Irish music room. The museum's deputy curator, Dr Daryl Hendley Rooney highlighted some of the more curious parts of the collection, including a marble thumb that tells the story of Italia 90. "The heroes of Italy had come back. They were paraded through town on an open top bus and a little boy had climbed up a statue, and he accidentally pulled off the thumb, which hit the ground beside this woman. "She picked it up and had intended on giving it back to the Office of Public Works or the National Monument Service, but like every good Irish procrastinator it has been in our house for the last few decades," Dr Rooney said As part of their most recent appeal the museum also received a donation of a set of three boxing gloves from the Ó Colmáin family who live in a former forge just off Camden Street, where a blacksmith made his mark on Irish sporting history. "Gerry Ó Colmáin was a boxer. He was the first and he's the hitherto last Irish European boxing heavyweight champion. "In 1947, he won in that final and it was actually the unusual thing it was here in Dublin, so he won on home soil," Dr Rooney said. He added: "In the final, he was boxing an English guy, and he hit him so hard that he burst his glove, and that was the glove that he burst. So, he ended up boxing with three gloves in that final." A row of bottles also tells the recent history of Guinness in Dublin and sheds light on the original makers of craft beer in the capital. "Dublin Pale Ale, Mountjoy's Nourishing Stout and Findlaters Invalid Stout. "The idea that they were given to people to basically replenish their stores and it wasn't uncommon for pregnant women to be given a bottle of Guinness or stout to basically replenish their energy levels and make them hardy again," he said. "Most people don't realise that Guinness didn't actually bottle their own brew until the 60s. "This bottle here was bottled by Lawson Wilson and Co in Dublin. Nearys and McDaids, they would have had all their own licensing bottling labels and at one time, in the 1930s Guinness were producing over 1.5 million labels a day." The museum's CEO, Sarah Clancy, said the reimagined space gives people of all generations an opportunity to experience the history of the city. "As a storytelling museum, we managed to create these really magical moments. "We'd have locals coming in on family day out, or whatever it might be, and one of our tour guides might tell a story. "And there's that lovely moment where somewhere, someone interjects and goes, 'oh, actually, I was there. That's not quite what happened'." The expanded museum will have new features that are targeted at educating younger children about the history of Dublin. It will also include a unique doll's house and an animal exhibition that will tell stories about a much-loved elephant in Dublin Zoo and the lion that once escaped onto Fairview Strand. The renovation work at the not-for-profit museum in a former Georgian townhouse cost €4.3m was funded by donations from Dublin City Council, Fáilte Ireland, the Departments of Tourism and a number of other benefactors. But old favourites remain, including one of the most popular exhibits, a leather-bound copy of the 1988 telephone book, which almost every Dubliner who visits will leaf through to see if they can locate their family name and relatives. Donated artefacts like these have been the lifeblood of this museum and the Little Museum of Dublin will continue to welcome more into the future.
The Irish Sun
30-04-2025
- The Irish Sun
Major family-friendly attraction with storytelling and ‘flair' to return to Dublin city after €4.3million transformation
A TOP-ranked family-friendly attraction will return to its original Dublin home ahead of the busy summer season. The Little Museum of 4 Bosses said this is a 'very important moment' Credit: littlemuseumofdublin 4 The Little Museum is returning to its original home in Stephen's Green Credit: littlemuseumofdublin Housed in a historic building, the museum offers a glimpse into the capital's long and fascinating Using storytelling, immersive performance, and real historical artefacts, the team offers fascinating guided tours. The museum was originally housed in a stunning Georgian However, it was moved to Pembroke Street in order to make way for renovations. Read more in Travel But the upgrades are almost finished and the delighted team behind the project have announced a return to their original home. The authentic Georgian house has now been upgraded to feature even more attractions than before. As well as guided tours and historically accurate rooms, it now boasts "expanded and reimagined exhibition spaces". There is also a new recreational area as well as a sun trap patio that is perfect for summer. Most read in News Travel And to make sure the museum is inclusive, there's been a lift installed so the exhibitions are accessible for everyone. Plus, there's a whole new collection of artefacts donated by the people of The renovations cost a whopping €4.3million but creators called the improvements "remarkable". The museum is highly acclaimed both at home and abroad. It's been crowned the "Number one thing to do" on Tripadvisor, and on the same site, it ranked number 12 out of 25 top European attractions. Tickets are already on sale ahead of the busy summer season. And bosses have announced that the museum will reopen in June. From then on, it will be open seven days a week from 9.30am until 5pm. There will be guided tours offered every 40 minutes. There is also a new walking tour available attached to the museum called The Little Walking Tour of Stephen's Green, which will take place at 2.15pm every day. Chair of the Little Museum of Dublin, Rhona Mahony said: "After a wonderful sojourn in Pembroke Street, the Little Museum is returning and reopening its doors at our beloved House on St Stephen's Green. "We have completed a major redevelopment of the Museum so that we can host our guests and friends in a facility with universal access and enhanced exhibition and education resources. "We were lucky to have a lot of help with our renovations and I am exceptionally grateful to our patrons in Fáilte Ireland, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and Dublin City Council. "We are also incredibly grateful to our wonderful corporate and individual funders. "This is a very important moment in the life of the Little Museum of Dublin and we are very excited that our new facilities will help us fulfil our mission to educate, entertain and captivate guests and friends of all ages from all over the world. "Through the power of story and exhibition, we hope to introduce visitors to the rich and fascinating history of Dublin and to introduce everyone to the wit and charm of the great Dublin characters. "Most of all we want everyone to come and have fun and to feel at home in our home." 4 The museum has a whole new collection of artefacts Credit: littlemuseumofdublin 4 Tickets are now available for the guided tour Credit: littlemuseumofdublin
RTÉ News
29-04-2025
- RTÉ News
Museum to return to St Stephen's Green after renovation work
The Little Museum of Dublin is to return to its home on St Stephen's Green after a €4.3 million renovation. The doors of the Georgian building are set to reopen in early June. The museum is currently in a temporary location on Pembroke Street, which will close on 25 May. The operators of the attraction said that its "historic townhouse has been transformed" and "visitors can look forward to expanded and reimagined exhibition spaces" as well as "an enriched collection of artefacts donated by the people of Dublin". The renovation work was part-funded by Fáilte Ireland, along with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Dublin City Council, and corporate and individual donors.
Irish Independent
29-04-2025
- Irish Independent
The Little Museum of Dublin to reopen on St Stephen's Green after €4.3m refit
The museum will close its current temporary location at 33 Pembroke Street on May 25 as they prepare to return to its restored Georgian home in the heart of Dublin, with doors scheduled to reopen to the public in early June. The museum's historic townhouse has been transformed, with exhibition spaces expanded and reimagined. There's also a new reception area, a new lift to improve accessibility, a sun-trap patio and an enriched collection of artefacts donated by the people of Dublin. There's also a new youth education space, upgraded exhibitions, and improved interpretation throughout. Since 2011, the Little Museum of Dublin has welcomed over one million visitors. It's ranked number 12 among Europe's top 25 five attractions on TripAdvisor, with the museum earning a reputation for immersive storytelling, theatrical flair, and hospitality. Despite operating from a temporary home on Pembroke Street for nearly a year, the museum retained its crown as the number one 'Thing to Do' in Dublin on TripAdvisor. The reimagining of the Little Museum of Dublin was part-funded by Fáilte Ireland, along with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Dublin City Council, corporate and individual funders. The museum will be open seven days a week from 9.30am to 5pm, offering guided tours every forty minutes. The walking tours include The Official Walk of Shame, The Football Walking Tour, The Freedom of Dublin and more. A new daily walking tour, The Little Walking Tour of St Stephen's Green, will take place each afternoon at 2.15pm.
