Opened in 1857, the Natural History Museum is Dublin’s Victorian time capsule and you’ll hear it affectionally referred to as the “Dead Zoo”.
Arguably one of the best museums in Dublin, it houses over 10,000 preserved animals across four floors, from towering giant Irish deer to delicate Blaschka glass models.
Step inside and you’re met with creaking floors, endless glass cases, and thousands of creatures frozen mid-snarl, mid-flight, and mid-leap, offering a rare glimpse into 19th-century science.
About the Natural History Museum in Dublin
Photos courtesy James Fennell via Ireland’s Content Pool
The Natural History branch of the National Museum of Ireland is the country’s leading cultural institution. It occupies a building that dates back to 1856 and was an extension to Leinster House, which housed the Royal Dublin Society.
The original Natural History Museum in Dublin was built to accommodate the society’s zoological and geological specimens that were collected during the 19th century.
The museum opened to the public in 1857 and became part of the Museum of Science & Art, Dublin in 1877 when it was combined with collections from the Royal Irish Academy and Trinity College Dublin.
1. Location
You’ll find the museum on Merrion Street in the heart of Dublin 2. It’s a 3-minute walk from the National Gallery of Ireland, a 4-minute walk from Merrion Square and a 10-minute walk from St Stephen’s Green.
2. Admission
A visit here is regarded as one of the best free things to do in Dublin. With no admission fee, you can visit several times and enjoy different exhibits and galleries on each visit, avoiding a cultural overload!
3. Currently closed
The Natural History Museum (“Dead Zoo”) is currently closed for major renovations. Key exhibits will reopen at a temporary “Dead Zoo Lab” in Collins Barracks from spring 2025.
4. From cabinets to collections
The roots of Dublin’s Natural History Museum stretch back to 1792, when the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) acquired the Leskean Cabinet, a vast collection of geological and mineralogical specimens.
By the early 1800s, the growing collection moved into Leinster House, where it shared space with a lecture hall, library, and laboratory. For decades, the RDS showcased Ireland’s natural wonders here, sparking public curiosity with limited viewing hours.
5. A new era
As the collections expanded, so did the need for a purpose-built home. In 1856, construction began on the Merrion Street building that still houses the museum today.
Designed as part of an extension to Leinster House, it offered room for ever-increasing specimens. Under the direction of Alexander Carte, the museum flourished, welcoming zoological and geological treasures from Irish explorers like Sir Francis McClintock and Sir William Wilde.
6. Opening to the public
The Merrion Street museum opened its doors in 1857, showcasing Irish fauna alongside exotic animals from across the globe.
Initially part of the Royal Dublin Society, it became integrated into the Dublin Museum of Science and Art in 1877 before taking on its modern title, the National Museum of Ireland, after independence.
7. A Victorian time capsule
Today, the museum retains much of its 19th-century layout, earning the affectionate nickname “Dead Zoo.” Its display cases and creaking galleries offer a rare glimpse into Victorian museum design, largely untouched for over 150 years.
While renovations are underway, the Merrion Street site remains a powerful reminder of Ireland’s scientific heritage and the generations of collectors and curators who preserved it.
Things to see and do
There’s plenty to explore at the Museum of Natural History, with displays that’ll capture the imagination of young and old alike.
Below, you’ll find where the nickname the ‘Dead Zoo’ comes from along with the many exhibitions on offer.
1. Irish Fauna
The Irish fauna displays are displayed in a huge tile-floored open space with life-size skeletons of larger creatures and glass-fronted display cabinets of smaller, more fragile exhibits.
The diorama of a badger family is particularly captivating and dates back to 1911. It’s hard to imagine that Ireland once had woolly mammoths, spotted hyenas and brown bears, but archaeological evidence has uncovered some unexpected post-Ice Age evidence.
See and learn about peregrine falcons, owls, native insects, trout and a very rare lobster, among other items in the museum collections.
2. Mammals of the World
Get up-close to the toothy African Hippo, among other amazing examples of larger mammals preserved by taxidermy. Other animal exhibits in this section include all different types of monkeys and primates.
Learn how the Tree Pangolin, native to the African Congo, rolls itself into an armour-plated ball when threatened with attack.
Remarkable anteaters from South America survive with the lowest body temperature of any land mammal and check out the Oribi exhibit which once roamed the salt pans of Angola.
Other more familiar mammals include rodents, hamsters and squirrels from all over the globe. It’s a remarkable world!
3. Giant deer and the ‘Wonder Cabinet’
One of the first things to catch the eye of visitors are the Giant Irish Deer skeletons at the entrance to the museum. Look up at the massive elk-like antlers – one has a span of 3.5 metres!
The Wonder Cabinet is the place to get up-close to some real and replica specimens in a new interactive zone at the Natural History Museum in Dublin.
Inspired by the Victorian Cabinets of Curiosity (every serious collector had at least one!) the Wonder Cabinet has some of the most interesting exhibits in the museum.
Check out the Loggerhead Turtle that washed up on a beach in Co. Galway after an epic Transatlantic swim. There’s also a giant fossil shark tooth and jaw of a tiger shark. You can handle some of the replicas.
4. Regular events
Photos via Shutterstock
The museum hosts many regular events to encourage engagement and learning. Check out their calendar of events and attend a talk, join a tour or be part of a fun activity.
Events are not just for children – there are lots of adult activities where you can engage with like-minded visitors and learn more from the knowledgeable museum staff and curators.
One of the most popular events is the Open House where you can join in the discussion with staff and learn about the challenges of looking after Ireland’s oldest museum.
Things to do nearby
The Museum of Natural History is a stone’s throw from many of the best places to visit in Dublin, from parks and historical sites to museums and more.
The handiest thing to do is to follow my walking tour of Dublin outlined in the map above. You’ll see the likes of:
- Merrion Square (4-minute walk): The largest and grandest Georgian square in Dublin
- St Stephen’s Green (10-minute walk): Another Victorian park laid out in 1880 and covering 22 acres
- National Gallery of Ireland (3-minute walk): Art lovers are in for a treat with 2500 paintings and 10,000 other media on display
- Trinity College (15-minute walk): Dublin’s leading university home to The Book of Kells and the Long Room, too
- Food, pubs and city attractions: Tour the Guinness Storehouse, grab a bite in one of the restaurants in Dublin and kick back in the man pubs in Dublin
Keith O’Hara has lived in Ireland for 35 years and has spent much of the last 13 creating what is now The Irish Road Trip guide. Over the years, the website has published thousands of meticulously researched Ireland travel guides, welcoming 40 million+ visitors along the way. In 2022, the Irish Road Trip team published the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries. Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether.