National Museum of Ireland, Merrion Street

As we stand before the imposing facade of the National Museum of Ireland on Merrion Street, we are about to enter a space that is often affectionately, if somewhat morbidly, referred to by Dubliners as the Dead Zoo. This…

Immediately upon entering the ground floor, your eyes are drawn upward to the magnificent skeletons of the Giant Irish Deer, or Megaloceros giganteus. These are perhaps the most iconic specimens in the entire museum, serving as…

As we proceed deeper into the ground floor, we are surrounded by the Irish Room, a section dedicated exclusively to the wildlife found on the island of Ireland. This area was formally designated as the Irish Room around nineteen…

Ascending to the first floor, we move from the local to the global. This level is traditionally home to the museum’s collection of world mammals. …

Looking up from the first floor, you see the delicate ironwork of the balcony levels, which spiral upward toward the glass roof. These balconies house the museum’s vast collection of birds, fish, and invertebrates, but the true…

Within the intricate world of the Dead Zoo, some of the most scientifically and artistically significant items are not made of bone or fur, but of glass. These are the Blaschka glass models, created in Dresden, Germany, by the…

One of the most charming and human aspects of the National Museum is what has been discovered in the 'nooks and crannies' during the recent decanting process. As curators moved display cases that had been stationary for over a…

As we step back out onto Merrion Street, leaving the silent, watchful eyes of the 'Dead Zoo' behind, we carry with us a deeper understanding of the Victorian quest for knowledge. The National Museum of Ireland - Natural History…