Family Attractions & Zoos in County Dublin

Baile Átha Cliath · Leinster · 122 places

County Dublin (Baile Átha Cliath) in Leinster features 122 mapped family attractions & zoos, led by Book of Kells, Dublin Zoo, and National Library of Ireland. Across these 122 listings, 17 feature verified photography, 1 offers free entry, and 121 include mapped nearby public parking. Zoos, aquariums, theme parks, and visitor attractions.

Showing 24 of 122 places

GeneralBook of Kells

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Book of Kells

The Book of Kells (Latin: Codex Cenannensis; Irish: Leabhar Cheanannais; Library of Trinity College Dublin, MS A. I. [58], sometimes known as the Book of Columba) is an illustrated manuscript and Celtic Gospel book in Latin, containing the four Gospels of the New Testament together with various prefatory texts and tables. It was created in a Columban monastery in Ireland or Scotland, and may have had contributions from various Columban institutions across Ireland and Scotland. It is believed to have been created c. 800 AD. The text of the Gospels is largely drawn from the Vulgate, although it also includes several passages drawn from the earlier versions of the Bible known as the Vetus Latina. It is regarded as a masterwork of Western calligraphy and the pinnacle of Insular illumination. The manuscript is named after Abbey of Kells, County Meath, which was its home for centuries. The illustrations and ornamentation of the Book of Kells surpass those of other Insular Gospel books in extravagance and complexity. The decoration combines traditional Christian iconography with the ornate swirling motifs typical of Insular art. Figures of humans, animals and mythical beasts, together with Celtic knots and interlacing patterns in vibrant colours, enliven the manuscript's pages. Many of these minor decorative elements are imbued with Christian symbolism, and so further emphasise the themes of the major illustrations. The manuscript today comprises 340 leaves or folios; the recto and verso of each leaf total 680 pages. Since 1953, it has been bound in four volumes, 330 by 250 mm (13 by 9.8 in). The leaves are high-quality calf vellum; the unprecedentedly elaborate ornamentation that covers them includes ten full-page illustrations and text pages that are vibrant with decorated initials and interlinear miniatures, marking the furthest extension of the anti-classical and energetic qualities of Insular art. The Insular majuscule script of the text appears to be the work of at least three different scribes. The lettering is in iron gall ink, and the colours used were derived from a wide range of substances, some of which were imported from distant lands. The manuscript is on display to visitors in Trinity College Library, Dublin, and shows two pages at any one time, rotated every 6-8 weeks. A digitised version of the entire manuscript may also be seen online.

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Dublin Zoo

Dublin Zoo (Irish: Zú Bhaile Átha Cliath), in Phoenix Park, is a zoo in Dublin, Ireland, and one of Dublin's most popular attractions. Established and designed in 1830 by Decimus Burton, it opened the following year. Today, it focuses on conservation projects, breeding programmes, and growing awareness for animals. Its stated mission is to "work in partnership with zoos worldwide to make a significant contribution to the conservation of the endangered species on Earth". Covering over 28 hectares (69 acres) of Phoenix Park, the zoo is divided into habitats including the Himalayan Hills, Wolves in the Woods, the African Savanna, Kaziranga Forest Trail, South American House, Zoorassic World, Gorilla Rainforest, Orangutan Forest, Sea Lion Cove, and Family Farm (as of July 2022). Overall, the zoo houses about 400 animals across 100 species and attracts over one million visitors each year.

GeneralNational Library of Ireland

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National Library of Ireland

The National Library of Ireland (NLI; Irish: Leabharlann Náisiúnta na hÉireann) is Ireland's national library located in Dublin, in a building designed by Thomas Newenham Deane. The mission of the National Library of Ireland is "To collect, preserve, promote and make accessible the documentary and intellectual record of the life of Ireland and to contribute to the provision of access to the larger universe of recorded knowledge." The library is a reference library and, as such, does not lend. It has a large quantity of Irish and Irish-related material which can be consulted without charge; this includes books, maps, manuscripts, music, newspapers, periodicals and photographs. Included in its collections are materials issued by private as well as government publishers. Among the library's major holdings are an archive of Irish newspapers and collections donated by individual authors or their estates. The library is also the ISSN National Centre for Ireland. The office of the Chief Herald of Ireland, the National Photographic Archive and the Museum of Literature Ireland are functions of the library, the latter in partnership with University College Dublin. The library also holds exhibitions, and provides a number of other services including genealogy research tools and support. The Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport is the member of the Government of Ireland responsible for the library. The main library building is on Kildare Street, adjacent to Leinster House and the archaeology section of the National Museum of Ireland.

GeneralSaint Patrick's Cathedral

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Saint Patrick's Cathedral

Saint Patrick's Cathedral (Irish: Ard-Eaglais Naomh Pádraig) in Dublin, Ireland is the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland. Christ Church Cathedral, also a Church of Ireland cathedral in Dublin, is designated as the local cathedral of the Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough.

GeneralChrist Church Cathedral

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Christ Church Cathedral

Christ Church Cathedral, more formally The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity (Irish: Ardeaglais Theampall Chríost), is the cathedral of the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough and the cathedral of the ecclesiastical province of the United Provinces of Dublin and Cashel in the (Anglican) Church of Ireland. It is situated in Dublin, Ireland, and is the elder of the capital city's two medieval cathedrals, the other being St Patrick's Cathedral. The cathedral was founded in the early 11th century under the Viking king Sitric Silkenbeard. It was rebuilt in stone in the late 12th century under the Norman potentate Strongbow, and considerably enlarged in the early 13th century, using Somerset stones and craftsmen. A partial collapse in the 16th century left it in poor shape and the building was extensively renovated and rebuilt in the late 19th century, giving it the form it has today, including the tower, flying buttresses, and distinctive covered footbridge.

GeneralGeneral Post Office

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General Post Office

The General Post Office (GPO; Irish: Ard-Oifig an Phoist) is the former headquarters of An Post, the Irish postal service. It remains its registered office and the principal post office of Dublin, the capital city of Ireland. It is situated in the centre of O'Connell Street, the city's main thoroughfare. It is one of Ireland's most famous buildings, not least because it served as the headquarters of the leaders of the Easter Rising against British rule in Ireland. It was the last great Georgian public building to be erected in the capital.

GeneralTemple Bar

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Temple Bar

Temple Bar (Irish: Barra an Teampaill) is an area on the south bank of the River Liffey in central Dublin, Ireland. The area is bounded by the Liffey to the north, Dame Street to the south, Westmoreland Street to the east and Fishamble Street to the west. It is promoted as Dublin's 'cultural quarter' and, as a centre of Dublin's city centre's nightlife, is a tourist destination. Temple Bar is in the Dublin 2 postal district.

GeneralHa'penny Bridge

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Ha'penny Bridge

The Ha'penny Bridge ( HAYP-nee; Irish: Droichead na Leathphingine, or Droichead na Life), known later for a time as the Penny Ha'penny Bridge, and officially the Liffey Bridge, is a pedestrian bridge built in May 1816 over the River Liffey in Dublin, Ireland. Originally known as the Wellington Bridge, the bridge's cast iron structure was manufactured in Shropshire, England.

GeneralRoyal Irish Academy

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Royal Irish Academy

The Royal Irish Academy (RIA; Irish: Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann), based in Dublin, is an academic body that promotes study in the natural sciences, arts, literature, and social sciences. It is Ireland's premier learned society and one of its leading cultural and academic institutions. The academy was established in 1785 and granted a royal charter by King George III in 1786. As of 2026, the RIA has over 700 members, with regular members being Irish residents elected in recognition of their academic achievements, and honorary members similarly qualified but usually based abroad; a small number of members are also elected in recognition of non-academic contributions to the Irish society. All members are entitled to use the honorific title MRIA with their names. Until the late 19th century the Royal Irish Academy was the owner of the main national collection of Irish antiquities. It presented its collection of archaeological artefacts and similar items, which included such famous pieces as the Tara Brooch, the Cross of Cong and the Ardagh Chalice to what is now the National Museum of Ireland, but retains its very significant collection of manuscripts including the famous Cathach of Colmcille, the Lebor na hUidre (c. 1100), the later medieval Leabhar Breac, the Book of Ballymote, and the Annals of the Four Masters.

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The Old Courthouse

The Old Courthouse in Howth is a former place of worship that was subsequently used as a courthouse. It was built around 1845 and initially served as a place of worship for fishermen, before being used as a rent collection office by agents of Lord Howth. It opened for petty sessions on 21 September 1868 and continued in use until 1970. It is located at the junction of Harbour Road and Church Street. The building is a protected structure under Part IV of the Planning & Development Act 2000 with RPS 567. It is part of the Howth Historic Core Architectural Statement of Character. It was refurbished in early 2020 as a tourist centre.

GeneralFarmleigh

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Farmleigh

Farmleigh is the official Irish state guest house. It was formerly one of the Dublin residences of the Guinness family. It is situated on an elevated position above the River Liffey to the northwest of the Phoenix Park, in Castleknock. The estate of 78 acres (32 ha) consists of extensive private gardens with stands of mature cypress, pine and oak trees, a boating pond, walled garden, sunken garden, out offices and a herd of rare native Kerry cattle. It was purchased by the Government of Ireland from Edward Guinness, 4th Earl of Iveagh in 1999 for €29.2 million. A state body—the Office of Public Works (OPW)—spent in the region of €23 million restoring the house, gardens and curvilinear glasshouses, bringing the total cost to the state to €52.2 million. Farmleigh was opened to the public in July 2001.

GeneralGuinness Storehouse

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Guinness Storehouse

Guinness Storehouse is a tourist attraction at St. James's Gate Brewery in Dublin, Ireland. Since opening in 2000, it has received over twenty million visitors. The Storehouse covers seven floors surrounding a glass atrium shaped in the form of a pint of Guinness. The ground floor introduces the beer's four ingredients (water, barley, hops and yeast), and the brewery's founder, Arthur Guinness. Other floors feature the history of Guinness advertising and include an interactive exhibit on responsible drinking. The seventh floor houses the Gravity Bar with views of Dublin and where visitors may drink a pint of Guinness included in the price of most admission tickets.

GeneralDunsink Observatory

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Dunsink Observatory

The Dunsink Observatory is an astronomical observatory established in 1785 in the townland of Dunsink in the outskirts of the city of Dublin, Ireland. Directors of the observatory include William Rowan Hamilton, who, amongst other things, discovered quaternions, the first non-commutative algebra form, while walking from the observatory to the city with his wife. The annual Hamilton Walk that commemorates this discovery begins at the observatory.

GeneralHungry Tree

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Hungry Tree

The Hungry Tree is a tree in the grounds of the King's Inns in Dublin, Ireland. An otherwise unremarkable specimen of the London plane, it has become known for having partially consumed a nearby park bench. It has become a tourist attraction and is frequently photographed. The Hungry Tree was the subject of a campaign by Green Party politician Ciarán Cuffe to ensure its preservation.

GeneralThe Convention Centre Dublin

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The Convention Centre Dublin

The Convention Centre Dublin (Irish: Ionad Comhdhála, Baile Átha Cliath) is a convention centre in the Dublin Docklands, Ireland. The Convention centre overlooks the River Liffey at Spencer Dock. It was designed by the Irish-born American architect Kevin Roche. Construction started in 1998 and the building opened in 2010. From June 2020 it acted as a temporary location for Dáil Éireann due to the necessity to implement social distancing because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

GeneralDublin City Hall

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Dublin City Hall

The City Hall, Dublin (Irish: Halla na Cathrach, Baile Átha Cliath), originally the Royal Exchange, is a civic building in Dublin, Ireland. It was built between 1769 and 1779, to the designs of architect Thomas Cooley, and is a notable example of 18th-century architecture in the city. Originally used by the merchants of the city, it is today the formal seat of Dublin City Council.

GeneralMarsh's Library

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Marsh's Library

Marsh's Library formerly St. Sepulchre's Library, situated in St. Patrick's Close, adjacent to St. Patrick's Cathedral and St. Sepulchre's Palace, Dublin, Ireland is a well-preserved library of the late Renaissance and early Enlightenment. When it opened to the public in 1707 it was the first public library in Ireland. It was built to the order of Archbishop Narcissus Marsh and has a collection of over 25,000 books and 300 manuscripts.

GeneralNational Botanic Gardens

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National Botanic Gardens

The National Botanic Gardens (Irish: Garraithe Náisiúnta na Lus) is a botanical garden in Glasnevin, 5 km north-west of Dublin city centre, Ireland. The 19.5 hectares are situated between Glasnevin Cemetery and the River Tolka where it forms part of the river's floodplain. The gardens were founded in 1795 by the Dublin Society (later the Royal Dublin Society) and are today in State ownership through the Office of Public Works. They house approximately 20,000 living plants and many millions of dried plant specimens. There are several architecturally notable greenhouses. The Glasnevin site is the headquarters of the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland which has a satellite garden and arboretum at Kilmacurragh in County Wicklow. The gardens participate in national and international initiatives for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. Director of the Gardens Dr. Matthew Jebb, is also Chairman of PlantNetwork: The Plant Collections Network of Britain and Ireland. It is Ireland's seventh most visited attraction, and the second most visited free attraction.

GeneralNational Leprechaun Museum

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National Leprechaun Museum

The National Leprechaun Museum is a privately owned museum dedicated to Irish folklore and mythology, through the oral tradition of storytelling. It is located on Jervis Street in Dublin, Ireland, since 10 March 2010. It claims to be the first leprechaun museum in the world. Tom O'Rahilly designed the museum (with the collaboration of two Italian designers, Elena Micheli and Walter Scipioni) and is its director. O'Rahilly began working on his museum in 2003. He views it as a "story-telling" tourist attraction designed to give visitors "the leprechaun experience" and introduce visitors to Ireland's history of storytelling. Visitors to the museum follow a guided tour involving several different rooms; each serving as sets for the stories and information. The basics of Leprechaun folklore are explained, including what it is that defines a leprechaun. A history of leprechaun references in popular culture is included, such as Walt Disney's visit to Ireland which led to his 1959 film Darby O'Gill and the Little People. There is a tunnel full of optical illusions, a wooden replica of the Giant's Causeway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, and a room with oversized items such as furniture to create the effect that the visitor has become smaller in size. References to other creatures are included in the tour such as the púca, fairies, and banshee, among others. The museum also has a souvenir shop. The National Leprechaun Museum has received mixed reception. In 2010, The Irish Times referred to it as the "Louvre of leprechauns". In 2024, however, the website solitaired.com published a list of the 100 "most boring" tourist attractions on earth based on data from over 66 million Google reviews, with the National Leprechaun Museum ranking in 38th place. It was the only attraction in Ireland to feature on the list, causing media to describe it as "Ireland's most boring tourist attraction".

GeneralRoyal Hospital Kilmainham

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Royal Hospital Kilmainham

The Royal Hospital Kilmainham (Irish: Ospidéal Ríochta Chill Mhaighneann) in Kilmainham, Dublin, is a 17th-century former hospital and retirement home which is now mainly used to house the Irish Museum of Modern Art and as a concert and events venue. It is notable as being the first large secular building in Ireland as well as being the first large classical building in Ireland. It remains one of the few 17th-century buildings in Dublin that are still extant.

GeneralThe Brazen Head

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The Brazen Head

The Brazen Head is a pub in Merchant's Quay, Dublin, built as a coaching inn in 1754, on the site of a merchant's dwelling dating back to at least 1613. lt received a licence to sell ale in 1661, and the first mention of it as an inn was in 1668.

GeneralNewbridge House and Demesne

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Newbridge House and Demesne

Newbridge Demesne is an early 18th-century Georgian estate and mansion situated in north County Dublin, Ireland. It was built from around 1751 by Charles Cobbe, Archbishop of Dublin, and remained the property of his Cobbe descendants until 1985. It was then acquired by Dublin County Council, in an arrangement, under which Newbridge House would remain the family home. Set within 400 acres of partially wooded parkland, Newbridge House is one of the finest surviving examples of Georgian architecture. The demesne now forms one of Fingal's regional parks, and contains historic buildings including the main house, a show farm and a cafe and shop.

GeneralCasino at Marino

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Casino at Marino

The Casino at Marino is a Neo-Classical summer or pleasure house, originally located in the grounds of Marino House in Dublin, Ireland. Sometimes described as a folly, it was designed by Scottish architect William Chambers and executed by Simon Vierpyl for James Caulfeild, 1st Earl of Charlemont, starting in the late 1750s and finishing around 1775. Although proud of the design, Chambers was never able to visit the completed building, as he was constantly employed in England.

GeneralTeeling Whiskey Company

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Teeling Whiskey Company

Teeling Distillery is an Irish whiskey distillery established in Dublin in 2015 by the Teeling Whiskey Company and owned by Bacardi Limited. It is the first new whiskey distillery to have opened in Dublin, once a world whiskey distilling capital, in over 125 years. In fact, with the last of the original Dublin distilleries having closed in 1976, it is the first whiskey distillery to operate in Dublin, once home to at least 37 distilleries, in almost 40 years. The distillery was established by Jack and Stephen Teeling, whose father John Teeling had founded the monopoly-breaking Cooley Distillery in 1987. It is located in the Liberties area of Dublin, close to where Walter Teeling, an ancestor of the family had established a distillery on Marrowbone Lane in 1782. The symbol of the brand, a phoenix rising from a pot still, symbolises the re-establishment of the Teeling whiskey brand.

Other categories in County Dublin

Museums & Galleries (70) Ruins & Archaeological Sites (62) Castles (27) Beaches & Coves (25) Mountains & National Parks (25) Abbeys & Monasteries (10) Megalithic Sites (9) Scenic Viewpoints (8) Historic Houses & Forts (4) Round Towers & High Crosses (4) Sea Cliffs & Rock Formations (3)

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