|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Book of Kells, Trinity College – The Book
of Kells, a 9th century illuminated manuscript of the gospels, is just boggling.
Letters and pages are decorated with fantastic creatures, angels, and religious
figures, outlined in brilliant colors of blue, green, red and white, yellow
(looks like gold). Even protected by a layer of glass, one page from the
original Book of Kells glows like magic – kids will want to
come home and make their own Book of Kells. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Before you take a look at the Book of Kells, there is an excellent exhibit about illuminated manuscripts – videos about book making, how the vellum (calfskin) pages were made and sewn together and how the artists and scribes using quills wrote and decorated each page with such exquisite artistry. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
The Book is Kells is stored in a darkened room – one page of text and one decorated page is displayed, plus pages from two
other famous illuminated manuscripts, the Book of Armagh and the Book of
Durrow. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
 From
the Book of Kells, you walk through the Long Room of the Old Library,
aisle after aisle of 200,000 hand-bound books, stored on wooden shelves
in a glorious high-ceilinged room. The Long Room is a real tribute to the
written word, almost a fantasy library where it's easy to imagine spirits
wafting out of the books. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
In
another building (across from the Old Library) is the Dublin Experience,
a multimedia slideshow. The show, a good overview of the long history of
Dublin, from the earliest settlers to a free republic in the 20th century,
will appeal to older kids. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
National Wax Museum Plus – The National Wax Museum on Foster Place is a way into Irish history, mythology, sports, music and the arts. You'll find incredibly lifelike portraits of the Irish writers, historical figures and soccer legends. In Grand Hall, step into the world of Irish rock and movie stars. Fun for those rainy days. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
St. Stephen's Green – Like everyone else,
bring your picnic lunch and spread it out on the grass. The Victorian style
park has emerald green grass, shade trees, a small artificial lake, and
gazebo for informal concerts. |
|
|
|
| |
|
At
the entrance to the park (St. Stephen's Green North), you'll see carriages
pulled by Irish draught horses. Go for a delightful clip-clop carriage
ride around town. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
National Museum of Ireland - Archeology – Step into a treasure trove of ancient artifacts. The gold goodies are extraordinary – huge crescent collars,
twisted gold torcs, bracelets, dress fasteners, plus a bog body and also
a replica of a Neolithic passage tomb. In the Treasury, with stunning
examples of Celtic metalworking, especially the Tara Brooch and Ardagh Chalice.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Upstairs are exhibits of Viking Ireland, including replica of a Viking ship,
skeleton from a Viking burial, a model of Dublin and objects of everyday
life. |
|
|
|
| |
|
The museum is free. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
National Museum of Ireland - Natural History – This kid-friendly museum has cabinet after cabinet filled with the animals
of Ireland – extinct giant Irish deer with huge antlers (from
32,000 years ago), Irish mammals (foxes, badgers, hares, seals, otters),
birds, fish, sea shells and butterflies. Museum is free. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts & History – If weather turns bad, the decorative arts museum is fun for
the fashion-minded or if you like ancient coins. Check out 18th - 20th century
Irish fashions (including kid's clothes), plus period furniture and crafts,
silver and 1,000 years of Irish coins. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
This museum is in another part of
the city in the Collins Barracks, on Benburb Street. Museum is free. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Walk Merrion Square to the Grand Canal – Take
a walk around Merrion Square to see the painted doors with peacock
fan windows above the doors – red, blue, yellow, green, dark
blue. Then walk one block east on Mount Street Upper (or Mount Street Lower)
to the Grand Canal. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grand Canal – The tree-shaded
canal has stone bridges, weirs, and ducks floating on the water. Walk south
along the canal for blocks and blocks. At the north end of the canal is
the Waterways Visitor Centre. |
|
|
|
| |
|
Waterways Visitor Centre – Ireland has a huge systems of canals built in the 18th century for transportation
and operated for 150 years. Located on the Grand Canal, the Waterways Visitor
Centre has a full-size coracle made with hazel rods and leather (a traditional
boat used for millenia), models of a Viking ship and "flyboats,"
how a lock works (real water sloshing about) and all about canals in Ireland. |
