Start your Dead Zoo Lab Exploration with a Meet & Greet! Be the first to visit the newly opened Dead Zoo Lab at Collins Barracks. Book now to avoid disapointment!
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to stand face-to-face with a dodo skeleton or examine the fossil bones of the giant Irish deer? Your class are about to find out!
Begin your visit to the Dead Zoo Lab with a short Meet & Greet (approx. 15 minutes) with a Museum Educator.
This warm welcome includes:
-
A brief introduction to the Dead Zoo Lab
-
A guided look at the handling carts in the Discovery Zone within the Dead Zoo Lab
-
A chance to ask questions and spark curiosity
After the Meet & Greet, your class will enjoy a free exploration of the Dead Zoo Lab using a creative activity sheet, while the Museum Educator remains available to answer all their curious questions. The visit ends back in the Discovery Zone where pupils will describe their findings and share examples of their creative representations of animals.
On-site Meet & Greet at a glance
Level: 1st Class – 6th Class
Duration: 45 mins (includes Meet & Greet and free exploration time)
Capacity: One class per session
Availability: Thursdays and Fridays in October, November and December 2025
Times: 10:30am & 11.45am
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. If your group has any additional access concerns or requirements please advise the Museum Bookings team in advance.
Booking: To enquire about booking a facilitated visit for your class please complete this enquiry form.
Description: Begin your visit to the Dead Zoo Lab with a short Meet & Greet with a Museum Educator. Afterwards, your class will enjoy a free exploration of the Dead Zoo Lab using a creative activity sheet, while the Museum Educator remains available to answer all their curious questions. Includes a close up inspection of the handling collections in the Disocovery Zone e.g. real and replica fossils, furs and skulls.
Please note: The teacher will remain with the class throughout the duration of the visit.
Curriculum Links
SESE – Science (Primary Curriculum)
-
Living Things: Identify and explore a variety of animals and their characteristics
-
Environmental Awareness and Care: Appreciate the diversity of life and the importance of conservation
-
Working Scientifically: Observing, questioning, predicting, and recording findings
Visual Arts
-
Drawing: Explore and respond to shape, form, and texture in natural history specimens
-
Looking and Responding: Discuss and reflect on their own work and the work of others
-
Creating: Use imagination and observation to create expressive representations of animals
Learning Outcomes
By participating in this session, pupils will:
-
Develop observation and inquiry skills through hands-on engagement with museum objects
-
Explore concepts of biodiversity, extinction, and animal adaptations
-
Express their understanding creatively through drawing and discussion
-
Engage in collaborative learning and questioning in a museum setting
Make an enquiry
To enquire about booking a facilitated visit for your class please complete this enquiry form.
Before your visitPrepare the class for their visit to the Dead Zoo Lab. Give pupils an idea of what to expect to see or have a discussion about the Museum in advance of the visit. If possible try and visit the Dead Zoo Lab at Collins Barracks yourself in advance.
Visit the Dead Zoo Lab page on our website to discover more about this exicitng new space!
Many of the animals on display in the Dead Zoo Lab are examples of taxidermy. If you would like to introduce the topic of taxidermy to your class we have short videos that explain what taxidermy is and how it is made. We recommend choosing the video that matches the age range of your class and also watching it in advance so you are ready for any questions your students might have!
What is Taxidermy Videos
After your visit
Ideas for post-visit activities:
- Download Museum in the Classroom resources such as the Seasonal Word Searches. Also avilable as Gaeilge.
- Ask pupils to do a project on their favourite extinct animal. Watch a playlist of short videos of extinct animals in the Museum for some inspiration!
- Still missing the National Museum of Ireland, Merrion Street AKA The Dead Zoo? Why not take your pupils on a 3D virtual tour of The Dead Zoo for a trip down memory lane to see old favourites such as the basking shark, whale skeletons and more.