Museum of Decorative Arts & History, Collins Barracks

The National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts & History, Collins Barracks is one of three National Museums in Dublin. It is located near Heuston Station and the Phoenix Park in the Dublin’s city centre. 

It has an interesting range of free things for kids to do at the Museum from Soldiers to Scientific Instruments, and from Eileen Gray to Albert Bender.  The Barracks Life Room gives children of all ages the opportunity to explore what life was like as a soldier in the 19th & 20th centuries. They can try on costumes, handle objects and explore history using computer interactives. You can download and print the Museum’s family activity booklets before your visit. These activity booklets are also available from the main reception of the Museum.

There also provide tailored family friendly tours and events, as well as an activity area in the Museum. The My Museum programme of events is designed to encourage families to work together, in an alternative and fun way, to learn more about the National Museum of Ireland’s collections. Every two to three weeks, a different part of the Museum’s collections is explored either through an art, drama or storytelling workshop; or through a demonstration or special guided tour. 

Over the next few weeks there are some great looking events. On 28^th November, there is the Babies on Board Workshop where parents/minders of babies under 12 months can join Mary Greene to find out about the origins of many Christmas traditions and then get into the Christmas spirit and make a tree decoration. On the 1^st December there are two family workshops for families with kids aged 7 plus (2.30-3.15pm and 3.30pm-4pm) where they can create ceramic decorations to take home and place on their Christmas tree. On the 1^st December is a family Christmas Open Day and on the 8^th December there is a family Christmas Tour.  

To find out more about the times and costs of other tours and workshops, check out the Calendar of Events.