Top activities to celebrate Easter at the Museum

The National Museum of Ireland is inviting people of all ages to see what's on at the museum this April.

Enjoy our Easter events with family and friends while exploring Ireland’s rich history and heritage.

From Egyptian writing to Pygmy Shrews, prehistoric arrowheads to tours commemorating the 1916 Easter Rising, there is a wide range of events taking place across our three museum sites in Dublin and Co. Mayo during the Easter break. 

Our opening hours are from 10am to 5pm, Tuesday to Saturday, and 1pm to 5pm on Sundays and Mondays with the exception of Good Friday (closed).

Admission is free.

The National Museum of Ireland, located at Merrion Street and also known as the "Dead Zoo," closed on 2 September 2024, so a visit this spring midterm is not possible. However, you can still explore the wonders of the Natural History Collections online.

Write Like an Egyptian!

Wednesday, 16 April & Friday, 25 April, 10:30am - 12:30pm | Families 7+
National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2
Learn how to write your name like an ancient Pharoah, who liked to have their name displayed in an oval shape known as a cartouche. Write like an Egyptian and create your own royal cartouche to take home! FIND OUT MORE

Take a tour at Collins Barracks

Selected dates throughout the Easter midterm | All Ages
National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Benburb, Dublin 7
Discover food history in A Taste of the Past, explore Ireland’s evolving symbols in Symbols of Ireland, and see sports’ impact on society in Game, Set, Match. Join our special Easter Rising anniversary tours, 1913-1923: A Decade of Military Conflict and Revolutionary Women, on 26th & 27th April. FIND OUT MORE

Find Peadar and his Friends!

Available throughout the Easter midterm | Families
National Museum of Ireland, Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co Mayo
Peadar is a Pygmy Shrew who lives at the Museum with his seven friends. Can you find their hiding spots in the Museum galleries using our fun, self-guided activity sheet? FIND OUT MORE

Acmhainne: Cuardaigh Focal Shéasúracha

Aibreán 2025 | Aoiseanna 7+
Stair an Dúlra ar Líne
Cuir eolas ar bhailiúcháin Ard-Mhúsaem na hÉireann – Saol an Dúlra trínár gCuardaigh Focal Shéasúracha as Gaeilge! FAIGH TUILLEADH EOLAIS 

Handle Stone Age Objects!

Wednesday, 23 April, 10:30am - 12:30pm | Families
National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2
Visit our handling table in the Prehistoric Ireland exhibition and meet with our Museum Educators who will have an array of replica artefacts from Stone Age Ireland for you to pick up and examine. Discover our mesolithic fishtrap, flint scrapers and arrowheads, and prehistoric clay pots. FIND OUT MORE

Who's Fooling Who? April Fools' Trail

Available onsite from Friday, 28 March to Friday, 4 April 
National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Benburb Street, Dublin 7
Can you uncover the truth or will you be fooled? Visit Collins Barracks this Easter midterm and put your detective skills to the test with our "Who's Fooling Who?" April Fools' Museum Trail! This free, fun-filled family challenge is packed with riddles, surprises, and brain teasers designed to keep you guessing. FIND OUT MORE

A choral celebration in Kildare Street! 

Thursday, 24 April, 11am | All Ages
National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2
Take in a special performance by the Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School Choir and Orchestra from Chicago. Enjoy a selection of Irish and international songs, including Amazing Grace, Tell Me Ma, and Siyahamba, in the reception area. FIND OUT MORE

Join a family Viking Ireland tour!

Selected dates throughout the Easter midterm | Families
National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2
Discover what life was like in Viking Dublin, and see the wider impact that the Vikings had on Ireland.  FIND OUT MORE

Explore the legacy of the 1916 Easter Rising

Saturday, 26 April, 13:30 - 15:00 | All Ages
National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Benburb, Dublin 7
Join us for Hands-on History: 1916 in 16 Objects and uncover the legacy of the Easter Rising through artefacts. Handle uniform items, historical ammunition, and original documents in this interactive session. FIND OUT MORE

1916 Easter Rising Commemoration at Collins Barracks

Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 April, 14:00 - 15:30 | All Ages
National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Benburb, Dublin 7
Join us for a weekend of tours and interactive object handling in commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising, and learn about the men and women involved in this historic event. FIND OUT MORE

Discover the Saints and Scholars of Ireland

Saturday, 26 April, 12pm | All Ages
National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2
Discover the artefacts associated with the patron saints of Ireland, St. Patrick, St. Brigid, and St. Colmcille, and see what archaeological evidence can tell us about the impact of Christianity to Ireland and which objects demonstrate the development of writing techniques. FIND OUT MORE

Grab your crayons and get colouring with our online Dead Zoo favourites

Available online from 1 - 30 April 
National History Museum online 
Download and print the colouring pages for a relaxing activity at home. All you need are coloured pencils, pens, or crayons! Share your creations with us by emailing photos of your Museum at Home activity to educationnh@museum.ie. FIND OUT MORE 

Take a tour of Kildare Street

Selected dates throughout the Easter midterm | All Ages
National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 
Join a free guided tour at the National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology this April. Explore highlights of the collection, delve into prehistoric Ireland, uncover Viking history (not wheelchair accessible), or discover Ireland’s saints and scholars. FIND OUT MORE

'SWARM' in the Courtyard Gallery

During Opening Hours
National Museum of Ireland, Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co Mayo
SWARM is a 10-month collaboration between the National Museum of Ireland, Turlough Park, and artist Cas McCarthy, created for The Murmur of Bees exhibition. Over 450 primary school children and their teachers from 25 primary schools in counties Mayo, Sligo and Galway explored Ireland’s bees, their ecological role, and cultural significance before crafting and painting their own insect designs. FIND OUT MORE

Calling all GAA fans!

During opening hours
National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts & History, Benburb Street, Dublin 7
Wear your county colours and see objects dating from the 15th century to the present day. The GAA: People, Objects & Stories exhibition illustrates the influence of the GAA through the lens of social history, design and popular culture. FIND OUT MORE

Harry Clarke Stained Glass

During opening hours
National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Benburb Street, Dublin 7
Visit our new temporary exhibition at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, showcasing six stunning stained-glass panels by Harry Clarke, including some of his earliest works. FIND OUT MORE

There's a Murmur of Bees in Mayo!

During opening hours
National Museum of Ireland - Country Life, Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co Mayo
Did you know there are more than 100 different bee species in Ireland, but only one that makes honey? Or that bees were so important throughout Irish history, they even have their own patron saint? Join us in celebrating the magic of Ireland’s bees, their vital role in nature, and the special bond they share with us. FIND OUT MORE

• Top things to do for families at the National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2

• Top things to do for families at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Benburb Street, Dublin 7

• Top things to do for families at the National Museum of Ireland, Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co Mayo

• Museum at Home with the National Musuem of Ireland - Natural History