The 7 Best Art Museums in Dublin for Art Lovers

People don’t necessarily put Dublin on their proverbial bucket list to go gawk at art. But once in the Irish capital, there are few things better than spending a day visiting the many great art museums and galleries in Dublin. After all, you have to do something between pints of Guinness

Besides that, the walls of these hallowed institutions reveal some world-class art by artists who are household names all around the globe. 

Best of all, all of the Dublin art galleries and museums listed below are totally free. So, now you have no excuse. When you’re hungry to look at some great art in Dublin, try these 7 museums and galleries. 

A woman looking at art in Dublin.
Dublin is full of art museums and galleries you’ll love exploring.

On Merrion Square West sits the impressive and imposing National Gallery of Art. Founded way back in 1854, the National Gallery had just 112 works of art to begin with. Today there are over 14,000 pieces.

Some of the collection’s highlights include works by Titian, Lucas Cranach, Andrea Mantegna, Ghirlandaio, Diego Velazquez, Rembrandt, and Jan Brueghel the Younger. In 1990, an art historian was at a Jesuit residence in Dublin and recognized a painting titled “The Taking of Christ.”

It looked a lot like a Caravaggio that had gone missing centuries ago. After an investigation, it was confirmed, much to the delight of fans of the late-Renaissance/early-Baroque painter. The painting is now on display at the National Gallery. Entrance to the museum is free. 

People walking around outside of the National Gallery of Art in Dublin
Don’t miss out on seeing the “The Taking of Christ” at this amazing museum in Dublin. Photo credit: Ji Soo Song

Irish Museum of Modern Art

The second-most visited free attraction in Dublin, the Irish Museum of Modern Art—or IMMA—is housed in a former 17th-century hospital building around 48 acres of manicured gardens. The 3,500 artworks on display include pieces from the 1940s to the present. 

Some of the familiar and notable names whose work you might see in the museum include Sol LeWitt, Roy Lichtenstein, Marina Abramović, Lucian Freud, and Robert Rauschenberg. 

The exterior of the 
Ji Soo Song
Irish Museum of Modern Art with people sitting outside at picnic tables.
The Irish Museum of Modern Art used to be a hospital, but now it houses modern art that showcases Irish artists. Photo credit: Ji Soo Song

Photo Museum of Ireland 

Located in Temple Bar—right smack in the center of it all—the Photo Museum of Ireland was founded in 1978 by John Osman. 

The museum, which has free admission, has a permanent collection but there is always an interesting temporary exhibit on display that is worth seeking out. 

Group chatting outside of Temple Bar
Peer inside Temple Bar and check out the Photo Museum of Ireland.

The Douglas Hyde Gallery of Contemporary Art

The Douglas Hyde Gallery first swung open its doors in 1978, the first publicly funded gallery dedicated to contemporary art in Dublin. 

Located at Trinity College, the gallery has hosted shows by Marlene Dumas, Michael Warren, and Dorothy Cross, among a legion of other talented artists. Uniquely, the gallery has also put on musical events that include performances by Cat Power and Sufjan Stevens. 

People walking around Trinity College in Dublin.
There’s more to see at Trinity College than the library. Photo credit: Rubina Ajdary

Royal Hibernian Academy

Located just off of St. Stephens Green, The Royal Hibernian Academy, or RHA, was founded in 1823 when Ireland was still under the rule of Great Britain—hence the “royal” in the academy’s name. 

The space exhibits works mostly by both Irish and British artists and can give the visitor a good sense of the current state of art in Ireland. 

Street view of the Royal Hibernian Academy in Dublin.
Immerse yourself in local artwork at the Royal Hibernian Academy. Photo credit: Conoronmaps

Hugh Lane Gallery

Sir Hugh Lane founded this gallery in 1908 and is often credited as the first known exhibition space solely dedicated to modern art on the planet. 

The gallery has an impressive history of knock-out temporary exhibitions but they also boast of a wonderful permanent collection. Here you can find works by Manet, Renoir, and Pissarro, among others. 

A woman looking at an art piece made by Sean Scully.
Many of Sean Scully’s masterpieces are on display at Hugh Lane Gallery. Photo credit: london road

Molesworth Gallery

Housed in a gorgeous Georgian building just two blocks south of Trinity College, the Molesworth Gallery hosts about 10 changing exhibitions per year. 

First flicking on its lights in the year 2000, the gallery has exhibited the works of Mercedes Helnwein, Vera Klute, and Shane Berkery, among many others. 

Artworks hanging on a wall by Mercedes Helnwein in Dublin art museum.
Catch artworks by renowned artists like Mercedes Helnwein in Molesworth Gallery. Photo credit: Lord Jim
Photo of author
About the author

David Farley is a West Village-based food and travel writer whose work appears regularly in the New York Times, National Geographic, BBC, and Food & Wine, among other publications. He’s the author of three books, including “An Irreverent Curiosity: In Search of the Church’s Strangest Relic in Italy’s Oddest Town,” which was made into a documentary by the National Geographic Channel. You can find Farley’s online homes at https://www.tripout.online/ and https://dfarley.com/index.html

More by David Farley

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Sign up to get curated travel tips, inspiration, and travel deals by joining our community of Walkers.