National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts and History
The National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts & History is a branch of the National Museum of Ireland located at the former Collins Barracks in the Arbour Hill area of Dublin, Ireland.
The site, opened in 1997, also holds the Museum's administrative centre, a shop and a coffee shop.
This section has displays of furniture, silver, ceramics and glassware, as well as examples of folk life and costume, and money and weapons. The "Soldiers & Chiefs" exhibition features military artifacts and memorabilia tracing Ireland's military history from 1550 to the present. Other permanent exhibitions include ones on Irish coins and currency, silverware, furniture, the designer Eileen Gray, Asian art, "Curator's Choice", folklife and costumes, ceramics, and glassware.
Included are artifacts such as Etruscan vases, gauntlets worn by King William at the Battle of the Boyne, a life belt and oar salvaged from the wreck of the RMS Lusitania and a pocket book carried by Wolfe Tone whilst imprisoned in the Barracks.
Special exhibitions are mounted regularly; in summer 2007, for example, replicas of six Irish High Crosses that were subsequently shown internationally.
