The Little Museum of Dublin can be found in a beautiful Georgian townhouse at No. 15 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin not far from Grafton Street. It is a non-profit company and depends on the generosity of the public to survive.
First floor at The Little Museum of Dublin courtesy of the museum.
It tells the story of Dublin in the 20th Century. Launched in April 2011 with a public appeal for historic objects with a connection to Dublin during that time. The response to that appeal reflects the generosity of the Irish public, as well as the vision of the patrons in Dublin City Council.
The ground floor covers Emigration to America
There are now over 5,000 artefacts in the collection, as well as three floors of exhibition space and a café in the basement. The goal is not to sell an ideology but simply to remember the past.
The story of three women
The Little Museum was recently described as “Dublin’s best museum experience” by the Irish Times and they have been nominated for the European Museum of the Year Awards.
Did you use an old Royal
The collection includes art, photography, advertising, letters, postcards, objects and ephemera relating to cultural, social and political life in Dublin between the years 1900 and 2000.
Finlater’s Bicycle for delivering the orders
The collection is mostly comprised of donations and loans from the people of Dublin. Somehow I had difficulty with taking photos, so much of the items were familiar from my young life.
Please note: the museum is on the first floor of a Georgian building. Assistance is available for visitors with wheelchairs.
Must check this out! Our girls think I must be Methuselah, because when we went to the transport museum I kept telling them all the things I remembered!
They do guided tours through the items. I particularly loved the story of the young boy who wrote to a previous occupant of his home, great story and I won’t spoil it for you!
Loved your shots . . . especially the typewriter and the bike.
Nancy, I remember using an old typewriter like that and having difficulty changing the ribbon!
Where do you get the energy from?
I was on holiday with no household chores to do. I did cook dinner a couple of times, but all my energy was for exploring, finding sculptures, shopping, visiting people and places from my past life as well as eating & drinking! I almost needed a holiday when I came home!
Being close together in age and with me growing up in a very small rural town early in life, it is amazing how similar so many of the items are to the ones I grew up with all the way across the pond. Yes, I definitely used a Royal and the bikes we got when we came of age – about 5 or so – were very similar, armored tanks that weighed a ton, but like an old Cadillac had plenty of style!
We stripped ’em down, because we had places to go and nobody wanted to be weighted down on a gravel road with some distance to cover!
Growing up three miles from the center of the city, my father would not allow us to have bicycles. He thought they were too dangerous with so much traffic on the avenue.
It is disconcerting sometimes to come across museum items that were new during our youth and, then, to realize that many of the youth of today don’t have a clue what a lot of that stuff is.
Yes, Mike. So many items were part of my City and my young life, that I felt it was intruding to photograph them.
That sounds really interesting. We’ve been down in Dublin several times in the last year or two but hadn’t heard of this museum. Next time we’re down there we must pay a visit. As Skedaddle says, so many things familiar to us oldies that mean nothing to the young!
Nick, it is a very relaxed place with touches of history, art, letters and everyday items that your granny might have had on her shelf! Look out for the item I mentioned to speccy above!
Did this tour too. So now I’ve been to Dublin again, no?
Yes indeed, Cynthia. You took the tour from the comfort of your own home!