National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts and History

The National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts & History Irish: Ard-Mhúsaem na hÉireann - Na hEalaíona Maisiúla ⁊ Stair
County Dublin
Entrance to the museum
Type:	museum
Location
Grid reference:	O14193447
Location:	53°20’54"N, 6°17’9"W
City:	Dublin
History
Address:	Collins Barracks, Benburb Street
	Built 1702
For:	The War Office
	museum
Information
Website:	museum.ie

The barrack gate; the main entrance to the museum

The National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts & History is a branch of the National Museum of Ireland located at the former Collins Barracks in the Arbour Hill area of Dublin, in County Dublin.

The site, opened in 1997, also holds the Museum's administrative centre, a shop and a coffee shop.

This section has displays of furniture, silver, ceramics and glassware, as well as examples of folk life and costume, and money and weapons.

The "Soldiers & Chiefs" exhibition features military artefacts and memorabilia tracing Ireland's military history from 1550 to the present. Other permanent exhibitions include ones on Irish coins and currency, silverware, furniture, the designer Eileen Gray, Asian art, "Curator's Choice" (including a Chinese porcelain vase from about 1300 AD, the Fonthill vase), folklife and costumes, ceramics, and glassware.

Included are artefacts such as Etruscan vases, gauntlets worn by King William at the Battle of the Boyne, a life belt and oar salvaged from the wreck of the RMS Lusitania and a pocket book carried by the rebel Wolfe Tone whilst imprisoned in the Barracks.

Special exhibitions are mounted regularly; in summer 2007, for example, replicas of six Irish High Crosses that were subsequently shown internationally.