The National Museum of Ireland is celebrating the popular architectural festival Open House this October.
Open House is an annual celebration of architecture and built heritage presented by the Irish Architecture Foundation. This year the festival will take place from Friday, 15 October, to Sunday, 17 October 2021. Here are some highlights from the Museum's programme of events.
Open House: Conversations about the Dead Zoo
1pm, Friday, 15 October
NMI - Natural History (online)
Join in the online conversation with staff from the National Museum of Ireland to discover the secrets of looking after and unpacking Ireland’s oldest museum. Known as the ‘Dead Zoo’, the building housing the NMI - Natural History is over 165 years old. Overseeing and planning the care for this unique building is complex and challenging. The building is also being prepared for large scale renovation, but before the work can commence, the museum’s historic taxidermy and internationally important scientific collections have to be moved out. Hear from museum staff in this online discussion about their fascinating work in packing up and protecting the ‘Dead Zoo’. BOOKING REQUIRED
Open House Junior - Little Houses
2 - 4pm, Saturday and Sunday, 16 and 17 October
NMI - Decorative Arts & History, Collins Barracks, Dublin 7
Visit a new temporary exhibition created by young people in response to their experiences throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Working in partnerhsip with Stoneybatter Youth Services, this project invited young people to create a miniature 'room' depicting spaces or places that are meaningful to them at a time when they couldn’t meet each other in person. The participating young people will be at the Museum on Saturday and Sunday, 16 and 17 October, to introduce their work and talk about the Little Houses project. FIND OUT MORE
Open House Junior: Little Houses art workshop with Eimear Murphy
Available from 1pm, Saturday, 16 October
NMI - Decorative Arts & History (online/pre-recorded)
Join artist Eimear Murphy in this online workshop to explore some of the artworks created by young people for the new exhibition Little Houses. Then try making a miniature space of your own, in response to these artworks and the exhibition themes; exploring why home matters and what’s important to you when you think about home and living in the city. FIND OUT MORE
Architectural Tour of Collins Barracks
2pm and 3pm, Sunday, 17 October
NMI - Decorative Arts & History, Collins Barracks, Dublin 7
Celebrate Open House 2021 and join an outdoor tour where you will learn about the history and the architecture of the historic site, Collins Barracks - the spectacular Dublin home of the National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts & History. Collins Barracks was an army base for some 200 years before being renovated for use as a museum. The network of tall, granite-faced buildings occupy an 18 acre site and retain an imposing, military air. BOOKING REQUIRED