21 Eanáir 2022
Recruitment Call: Culture Connects Programme Coordinator - now closed
Update: This opportunity is now closed.We are seeking to recruit a Programme Coordinator to support the development and delivery of the Culture Connects program
Nuacht
21 Feabhra 2022
Culture Club with the National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts & History
Every month, we invite people to see, experience and learn about Dublin’s cultural places through Culture Club.
Through this series of hosted talks and tours, we get to know lots of the wonderful venues in Dublin and the dedicated people who work there.
Below, Diarmuid Bolger, Education Assistant at the National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts & History, Collins Barracks, took some time to tell us a little bit about what visitors to the museum might expect. Earlier this month Diarmuid facilitated the Culture Club event 'St. Brigid's Day' with Dr. Marion McGarry in celebration of Imbolc 2022. (Marion also gave a recorded lecture about some of the old customs of St. Brigid's Day. You can watch the lecture here.)
If you’d like to explore the National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts & History, Collins Barracks, and other cultural spaces across the city with Culture Club, you can book your free place here.
Tell us briefly what your organisation does and what our Culture Clubbers can expect to see/experience when they visit you?
The National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts & History, Collins Barracks is home to two fascinating and completely diverse collections. Decorative Arts encompasses silver, ceramics, glassware, furniture, clothing jewellery and coins. The military history collections tells of Ireland’s military and revolutionary past.
The Museum offers a year-round programme of workshops, talks and tours for all ages and a changing programme of temporary exhibitions on historical and contemporary themes.
What can we see or do now at the National Museum fo Ireland - Decorative Arts & History, Collins Barracks?
Our current exhibitions at the National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts & History, Collins Barracks include the permanent exhibitions:
- Soldiers & Chiefs – The Irish at War at Home and Abroad from 1550 to the present day
- Eileen Gray
- The Way We Wore
Some of our temporary exhibitions include:
Tell us something we might not know about your work or collection.
Collins Barracks, formerly known as the Royal Barracks, is believed to have been the longest serving army based in the world. The Irish Army moved out in 1997 before the site was renovated and taken over by the National Museum of Ireland.
What is your favourite part of your collection/building?
One particularly important and special artefact in our collection is the Fonthill Vase, which is on display in the ‘Curators Choice’ exhibition. Made of qingbai porcelain, it was made around 1300AD and is the earliest documented piece of Chinese porcelain to have reached Europe. Having been owned by Louis the Great of Hungary, Charles III of Durazzo, the Dauphin of France and William Beckford of Fonthill Abbey, the vase was acquired by the Museum at auction in 1882 for £28 and 7 shillings.
Do you offer any other services that might assist anyone with accessibility concerns?
Mobile stools and wheelchairs are available upon request from the reception desk. Please call +353 1 6777444 ahead of your visit to reserve one. There are seating areas available in the majority of galleries. Guide and assistance dogs are welcome to the museum. There are touchable exhibits within the museum. Please ask a staff member or attendant to help you locate these in the museum.
Is there anything else you would like to tell us about the National Museum fo Ireland - Decorative Arts & History, Collins Barracks?
The National Museum of Ireland is made up of four museums
- Museum of Archaeology – Kildare Street, Co. Dublin
- Museum of Country Life – Castlebar, Co. Mayo
- Museum of Decorative Arts & History – Benburb Street, Co. Dublin
- Museum of Natural History – Merrion Street, Do. Dublin
Information on all the National Museum of Ireland museums can be found here.
