Irish National Heritage Park, Open-air museum in Wexford, Ireland
The Irish National Heritage Park is an open-air museum in County Wexford with sixteen reconstructed historical settlements spread across hillsides, estuaries, woodlands, and riverbanks. The grounds combine different landscapes while displaying dwelling types from the Stone Age through the Middle Ages.
The park was founded in 1987 and focuses on human settlements from the Mesolithic period through the Norman invasion of 1169. The reconstructions document this long span of time with characteristic houses and structures from each era.
The reconstructed buildings show different settlement forms, from prehistoric shelters to medieval churches, revealing how daily life looked across various periods. You can observe how people built and lived in different times.
The park sits roughly two hours from Dublin and offers visitors guided walks to explore the reconstructions. There is also a falconry center, café, and shop on-site, along with ample parking.
The park offers overnight experiences in reconstructed Viking settlements or ringforts where visitors live and sleep without modern technology like early inhabitants. This immersive experience lets you directly encounter the daily realities of earlier times.
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