National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology, Archaeological museum in Dublin, Ireland
The National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology is housed in a Victorian building on Kildare Street and spans four floors of gallery spaces. The collections display artifacts spanning from prehistoric times through the medieval period, organized to show the development of Irish society and its material culture.
The museum was established in 1890 by combining collections from the Royal Dublin Society and the Royal Irish Academy. This merger created the country's principal institution dedicated to preserving and studying Ireland's archaeological heritage.
The museum displays medieval treasures like the Ardagh Chalice and Tara Brooch alongside prehistoric gold ornaments that reflect the craftsmanship of earlier Irish societies. These pieces show what communities valued and created across different periods of Irish history.
Entry is free and the location on Kildare Street is well-served by public transport. Allow several hours to walk through all four floors at a comfortable pace without rushing through the galleries.
The museum displays an Egyptian mummy named Tentdinebu alongside preserved bodies recovered from Irish bogs. This unusual pairing brings together distant civilizations with local discoveries, creating a surprising contrast within the same space.
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