National Maritime Museum of Ireland

National Maritime Museum of Ireland
Museum exterior
Established	1978
Location	Haigh Terrace, Dún Laoghaire
Type	Maritime
Public transit access	Dart to Dún Laoghaire, buses
Website	Maritime Institute of Ireland

Mariners' Church being refurbished (2008).

Same view, after phase two (February 2010).

The National Maritime Museum of Ireland (Irish: Músaem Mhuirí Náisiúnta na hÉireann) opened in 1978 in the former Mariners' Church in Haigh Terrace, near the centre of Dún Laoghaire town, southeast of Dublin city.

The church was built in 1837 for seafarers and remained open until 1971. In 1974 the Church of Ireland and the Maritime Institute of Ireland signed an agreement that led to the museum's opening.^[1]

Popular exhibits include:

The Irish Lights: this exhibit is dominated by the Baily Optic from the Baily Lighthouse on Howth Head, which was in use from 1902 to 1972. It includes some inventions of John Richardson Wigham.^[2]
The Great Eastern display: a history of the SS Great Eastern (designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel) including items belonging to its captain Robert Halpin and a clockwork model of the ship.
Artefacts recovered from the wreck of the RMS Leinster and some contemporary accounts of the event. It was torpedoed in 1918 off the Kish lighthouse, within sight of Dún Laoghaire. Over 500 people were drowned. There are mirror-backed half-models of the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company's ships: RMS Ulster, RMS Leinster, RMS Munster and RMS Connaught.
St Columba's Chapel: this area remembers Irish ships during World War II. There is a collection of paintings by Kenneth King and the bullet-holed flag of the MV Kerlogue.

In July 2011 two stained-glass windows by artist Peadar Lamb were installed in the former church, sponsored by the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company.^[3]

The Museum has been refurbished. In 2006 substantial funding was authorised by the Government for capital expenditure to cover the cost of the refurbishment, however this funding has since been cut off, and the Museum is now dependent upon door receipts, fund raising events and donations. It is operated by volunteers and a community employment scheme provided by the Department of Social Protection .^[4] It reopened Tuesday 5 June 2012 11:30 a.m. President Michael D. Higgins officially re-opened the museum. It operates from 11am to 5pm every day.

References

↑ Dún Laoghaire - Maritime Museum
↑ Maritime Institute of Ireland
↑ Irish Times, 27 July 2011. Accessed 1 August 2011
↑ Maritime Institute of Ireland

External links

Museums and galleries in the Republic of Ireland by province

Connacht	Arigna Mining Experience Galway City Museum Glengowla Mines James Mitchell Museum Museum of Country Life Roscommon County Museum Sligo County Museum

Munster	Allihies Copper Mine Museum Clare Museum Cobh Heritage Centre Connemara Heritage and History Centre Cork Butter Museum Cork Public Museum Craggaunowen Crawford Art Gallery Hunt Museum Kerry County Museum Waterford County Museum Waterford Museum of Treasures

Leinster	An Post Museum Carlow County Museum Chester Beatty Library County Carlow Military Museum County Museum Dundalk The Douglas Hyde Gallery Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane Dublin Writers Museum Irish Agricultural Museum Irish Jewish Museum Irish Museum of Modern Art James Joyce Centre James Joyce Tower and Museum Kilmainham Gaol Luan Gallery Marsh's Library National 1798 Rebellion Centre National Gallery of Ireland National Leprechaun Museum National Library of Ireland National Maritime Museum of Ireland National Museum of Ireland National Photographic Archive National Print Museum National Transport Museum of Ireland National Wax Museum Natural History Museum Number Twenty Nine - Georgian House Museum Pearse Museum Science Gallery State Heraldic Museum Temple Bar Gallery and Studios Ye Olde Hurdy Gurdy Museum of Vintage Radio

Ulster	Cavan County Museum Donegal County Museum Donegal Railway Centre Monaghan County Museum

Coordinates: 53°17′32″N 6°7′55.4″W / 53.29222°N 6.132056°W / 53.29222; -6.132056

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