The National Museum of Ireland has partnered with AsIAm, Ireland’s National Autism Charity, as part of its commitment to the strategic vision:
Through greater accessibility to our collections, we will strengthen how our audience engages with their cultural heritage.
As part of this partnership, all staff at the National Museum of Ireland sites in Dublin and Mayo received Autism Awareness Training in 2024.
This year, sensory environmental audits conducted in collaboration with AsIAm and informed by feedback from the neurodiverse community, are guiding the development of visual guides, sensory maps, sensory borrow bags, neurodiverse family programming, and relaxed sensory-friendly hours.
To mark National Autism Awareness Month this April, the following events have been planned:
Relaxed Drop-In Workshop: Megalithic Big Draw! | National Museum of Ireland | Kildare Street
Saturday 5 April, 10:30am-12:30pm, Families 7+
National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2
To mark Autism Awareness month, visit the Learning Resource Room for this autism friendly drop-in workshop, Megalithic Big Draw, to decorate our giant paper with megalithic and cave art! Learn about the different designs, patterns and shapes that people in Stone Age Ireland used to decorate megalithic tombs, just like Newgrange. Create your own cave hand print to take home with you. FIND OUT MORE
Quiet Hour: Sensory Friendly Hour at the Museum / National Museum of Ireland / Turlough Park
Saturday 12 April, 10am - 11am. Families
National Museum of Ireland, Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co Mayo.
Museums can be busy and loud and therefore a stressful environment for people with additional needs and sensory requirements. We are offering a designated quiet hour to provide a calmer environment for visitors with Autism Spectrum Conditions, sensory and communication disorders, or learning disabilities. This hour is also beneficial for individuals with hidden disabilities and those who prefer a more flexible visit.
Synge & Byrne Café at Turlough Park will also host a designated Quiet Hour on Saturday, April 12, from 10am to 11am, with reduced noise, lighting, and music to create a calmer and more relaxing environment. FIND OUT MORE
Relaxed Sensory Friendly Drop In Workshop: Clarke's Colourful Creations | National Museum of Ireland | Collins Barracks
Saturday 12 April 2025, 10:30 - 12:30, Neurodiverse Families and Children ages 5-10
National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Benburb Street, Dublin 7
To mark Autism Awareness month, visit the Learning Resource Room at Collins Barracks for this sensory friendly drop-in workshop: Clark’s Colourful Creations. Explore light & colour through activities designed to engage your child’s senses. Learn about the different designs, patterns and shapes that Harry Clarke used in his stained glass. Play with colourful tiles on a light box and create your own simple stained-glass effect artwork with paint to take home with you. FIND OUT MORE
The Museum plans to make these events a regular offering throughout the year. Please check this page for future upcoming events. To find out more about the Museum’s AsIAm Accreditation partnership or to give feedback on the development of Neurodiverse Programming at the Museum please contact nkeating@museum.ie
