Why is the National Museum of Ireland - Natural History closed?
The Natural History Museum was constructed in 1856 and is often referred to as a ‘Museum of a Museum’. A magnificent Victorian artefact in its own right, it has changed very little in the last 168 years.
A full refurbishment of the building is necessary to ensure that the building is protected, conserved, and made accessible for future generations. The refurbishment project will also address long-standing issues with accessibility, enhance the museum experience and engage visitors with the Museum’s unique collection and role in addressing biodiversity loss and climate change.
The refurbishment of the NMI – Natural History is a flagship project for the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media under the National Development Plan and will be delivered by the National Museum of Ireland working in partnership with the Office of Public Works.
In January 2023, Catherine Martin TD, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, approved the commencement of the design phase for the refurbishment and in June 2024, Architects Fitzgerald Kavanagh & Partners were appointed to lead the integrated design team. In June 2024, we also confirmed that the building would need to close to the public from September 1, 2024, to enable the full decant of specimens and commencement of investigative work which will inform the extensive refurbishment works.
What exactly is the scope of the project?
The project extends to the entire NMI – Natural History building and included in the scope is:
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A comprehensive refurbishment of the Museum which will meet best practice sustainability and environmental control standards.
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Improved collections care, collections management and stewardship.
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Addressing accessibility issues including lifts, internal staircases and upper balcony areas.
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Creating additional learning, exhibition and multi-functional spaces within the historic building.
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Protecting, restoring and conserving the historic building fabric and improving health and safety, including fire safety.
Didn’t the Natural History Museum already close, why is it closing again?
In 2010, the Museum had to close the upper galleries due to their unsuitability for safe visitor access.
In 2020, the Museum closed temporarily to facilitate the removal of the whale skeletons suspended from the roof and the packing and removal of 20,000 specimens, and the installation of an internal platform and environmental seal. This internal platform structure is protecting the building and its contents, while also enabling initial investigative works on the roof and informing the overall project scope more accurately.
Since the Museum reopened in 2022 only the ground floor has been open to the public.
The entire building is now closed to the public, since September 1, 2024, to enable the remaining 10,000 specimens to be carefully wrapped up and removed from the building, followed by investigative works on the building and the /development of the design and planning for the extensive conservation and refurbishment works.
How long will it be closed?
The investigative works and design phase will determine the full programme of works, duration and total cost of the project. Until this phase has been completed, we can’t provide a timeline for the works, but we estimate that it will be several years before the displays are back open. During this time we will have the Dead Zoo Lab at our Museum in Collins Barracks and visitors can sign up to our Museum newsletter to receive regular updates on the project.
Everyone working on the project wants to ensure that it is only closed for the minimum amount of time possible.
What will happen the Natural History Museum collection when the Dead Zoo is closed?
The natural history collection will be moved to the Museum’s collection storage facility, and also to a new ‘Dead Zoo Lab’ which will be developed in the Riding School at the National Museum of Ireland Collins Barracks site from Spring 2025. The Dead Zoo lab is being created to ensure that the public can still visit some favourite specimens when the Dead Zoo is closed, such as Spoticus the Giraffe and the Giant Irish Deer, and also some specimens that haven’t been on display for years such as the collection of Blaschka glass models of marine life.
How can I support the refurbishment project?
If you would like to support our work, you can donate online
The Natural History Museum is now closed, but our other Dublin sites and our site in Co Mayo all remain open and we highly recommend them for visits.
I am interested in arranging a class tour. What are my options?
Why not visit the Engage And Learn | Natural History pages for more information on classroom online sessions, resources and activities. There will be tours available of the Dead Zoo Lab at our Collins Barracks site once it opens in Spring 2025. You can stay in touch with all of our schools programmes by signing up here
Please check out the Events calendar to see what family tours and other events are coming up at these sites in the coming weeks.
You can also do a virtual tour of the NMI – Natural History online - tour the building virtually on our website.
There are workshops for schools at the other museum sites in Dublin sites and in Co Mayo
How can I keep up to date with what is happening across all the National Museum of Ireland sites?
To discover upcoming events and tours for the public, including families and adults,
please check the Events Section.
Teachers, check out the online schools' programmes and updates for site visits.
To keep up to date and be one of the first to know about forthcoming events sign up to the newsletter here.
I have a further question which is not covered by the above, who do I contact?
Please send an email to info@museum.ie