National Print Museum

A museum devoted entirely to printing is a rarity – and the National Print Museum turns the craft into a hands-on experience. In the former Garrison Chapel of Beggars Bush Barracks in Dublin 4, you'll find type cases, Linotype machines and platen presses, many of which are still in working order today. Admission is free; if you want to see the craft in action, book a tour or a workshop.

What to expect

At the heart of the collection is Ireland's printing and typesetting heritage: from hand-set lead type and hand presses to Linotype machines and later offset equipment. What sets this museum apart is that most of the machines aren't kept behind glass – they still run, and the museum describes itself as a "working museum". If you're lucky, you'll see former printers operating the equipment and hear the clatter of the Linotype.

• Permanent exhibition on the history of Irish printing and its tools
• Demonstrations of working typesetting and printing machines
• Changing special exhibitions and occasional art projects around print and letterpress

Allow 45 minutes to an hour for the exhibition alone. If you join the Demonstration Tour, plan for around 90 minutes.

The setting: a chapel in the barracks

The museum occupies the old Garrison Chapel of Beggars Bush Barracks, a former military site on Dublin's south side. The simple church interior with its gallery gives the exhibition an unusual backdrop – industrial-age machinery beneath a sacred vault. The site sits slightly off the main tourist track, but combines well with the museums around Merrion Square.

Tours and workshops

Entry to the exhibition is free, but paid guided formats are what really bring the place to life:

• Guided Historical Tour: €6 per person (€5 concession), around 45 to 60 minutes, covering the history of the printing trade
• Demonstration Tour: €12 per person, around 90 minutes, with a demonstration of the working machines
• Public tours run daily around midday
• Adult workshops: €110 (6 hours) or €85 (4 hours, e.g. Modern Calligraphy); children's workshops last around an hour
• PrintLab, a drop-in family activity where you can get hands-on yourself

Tours and workshops are booked online via FareHarbor (linked from the official booking button). There's no standard online ticket sale for the free exhibition. Groups of 10 or more should register in advance by emailing [email protected].

Visiting: the practicalities

The museum is open Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 to 16:00, and Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 to 16:00; it's closed on Mondays. It's quietest on weekday mornings – things fill up around midday with the daily public tours. It's also closed on bank holiday weekends and over the Christmas and New Year period, so it's worth checking nationalprintmuseum.ie before you travel.

On site is the independently run Press Café, serving homemade food, coffee from Cloud Pickers, and weekend brunch – a good stop before or after your visit (check prices and times with the café directly).

The museum combines well with the state institutions around Merrion Square, all within walking distance: the National Gallery, the Natural History Museum, the Museum of Literature (MoLI) and the National Library. For more ideas, see the overview of museums in Dublin.