What to do and see in Dublin, Province of Leinster: The Best Hidden Gems Things to do

The National Print Museum champions print and its impact on the world! The museum aims to promote the historical significance and the contemporary relevance of printing by exploring its heritage, technology and craft. It is a unique museum and the only printing museum of its kind in Ireland. The collection is not behind glass or rope, and is instead laid out like a traditional print shop. In this digital age, the Museum affords the opportunity to step back in time and discover the invention of the printed word and its impact on the world.

This is a hands on activity - full of fun and laughter and delivered in the heart of the community. A fun mix of culture, history, sport and soft activity. Experience Gaelic Games introduce visiting groups to Ireland’s greatest cultural secret and most popular sports – Gaelic Football, Hurling -(Stick and Ball game), Gaelic Handball along with dance. A uniquely authentic Irish activity! – just about the most memorable and fun Irish experience visitors can have!

Dublin's newest oldest theatre. Enjoys contemporary takes on the classic and the excitement of the emerging artist. Smock Alley was the first Theatre Royal built in Dublin. John Ogilby opened it in 1662 as part of the Restoration of the British monarchy and King Charles II in 1660, along with the London’s Drury Lane (1662) and the Lincoln’s Inn Fields (1661). It was the first custom-built theatre in the city and still remains in substantially the same form, making it one of the most important sites in European theatre history. For more than a century, Smock Alley put Irish theatre on the European map, acting as the very core of an Ireland striving to find its own voice. If we are to ask historically what makes theatre such an important part of culture today, we would need to go back more than two centuries before the founding of The Abbey Theatre, to the Smock Alley Theatre of the 17th century.

Don't just visit Ireland, understand it with a visit to the EPIC, winner of Europe's Leading Tourist Attraction at the World Travel Awards 2019. EPIC is an interactive journey about how a small island made a big impact on the world. Discover why Irishness is celebrated around the world, with a journey through Irish history & culture, told from the perspective of those who lived. To begin your journey you will receive a stamped passport as you enter the exhibition, & then follow a path through the 20 themed galleries. You will discover why people left, see how they influenced the world they found, & experience the connection between their descendants & Ireland today. Immerse yourself in the stories of some of the most remarkable tales of sacrifice, endurance, adventure, and discovery the world has ever known. EPIC brings these amazing stories to life in a unique & spectacular way. Located in Dublin's Docklands. Open daily from 10am. Last entry is 5pm, museum closes at 6:45pm.

Richmond Barracks is a venue of historical importance that celebrates the rich stories and experiences of the local community, past and present. The Barracks runs regular guided tours and is currently running the Richmond Barracks to Kilmainham Walking Tour on Thursdays to Sunday at 11am and 1.30pm. The walk from Richmond Barracks to Kilmainham is steeped in Dublin’s rich historical, political & cultural landscape. Discover the local stories, the hidden histories & walk in the footsteps of those 1916 Rising Rebels that were marched to their execution in Kikmainham Gaol.

When you enter 14 Henrietta Street you’ll experience over 300 years of family and city life in the walls of one address. Our intimate guided tours bring you on a journey from the houses grand Georgian beginnings to the tenement dwellings of its later years. By connecting to the personal stories of those who called 14 Henrietta Street home the building’s hidden histories are revealed. See the house, hear its stories and discover the layers of Dublin history within its walls. “It really brought the human side of history alive for us” The building is accessed via a Guided Tour only. Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday : 10.00 - 16.00 We advise booking in advance

Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane is the oldest gallery of modern and contemporary art. Visit the gallery to see our great collections of paintings, sculpture, drawings and Francis Bacon's studio. Opening Hours Tuesday to Thursday 10.00am- 6.00pm Friday & Saturday 10.00am-5.00pm Sunday 11.00am-5.00pm Closed Mondays. ADMISSION TO THE GALLERY AND EXHIBITIONS IS FREE. See gallery website for current exhibitions and events.

Peaceful garden marking the 50th anniversary of the Irish uprising against the English; contains a famous statue by Oisin Kelly of the Children of Lir, characters from ancient Celtic myth.

FREE Admission. Described by Lonely Planet as ‘not just the best museum in Ireland but one of the best in Europe’ - and the only Irish museum to ever win European Museum of the Year - the Chester Beatty’s extraordinary collections from countries across Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Europe span centuries, continents and cultures and offer visitors a fascinating view of global artistic heritage. Donated to the Irish nation, American mining magnate and philanthropist Sir Alfred Chester Beatty's bequest is considered one of Ireland's greatest gifts. Open late on Wednesdays until 8pm. Download the Chester Beatty app, for audio tours in 6 languages, virtual walk-throughs, online collections and more!

One of Dublin's most beautiful tourist attractions. An unspoiled gem right in the heart of the city. Established in 1707, Marsh's Library is a wonderfully preserved library of the early Enlightenment complete with its original oak bookcases. Visitors often comment on the wonderful smell of the old bookcases and books.The library contains over 25,000 rare and interesting books relating to the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, covering medicine, law, science, travel, navigation, mathematics, music, and classical literature. There is also some material of a very scurrilous nature. Every year an exhibition of rare and curious items is presented from the holdings of the Library. The current exhibition is titled: 'Bram Stoker & the Haunting of Marsh's Library', an exhibition of books that were requested by Bram Stoker, author of Dracula, when he came to read in the Library in 1866-67.