The site upon which the city of Dublin is located, has a history of settlement going back over 1,000 years when Vikings settled in the area. Today Dublin is a major cultural center, and it is only fitting that it is home to several top quality museums. No matter what your particular interest, Dublin more than likely has a museum that will cater to your interest. The museums can loosely be divided into three categories, art galleries, historic and libraries.

History Museums

The history of Dublin and Ireland is catered for in detail by the National Museum of Ireland and the National History Museum. The National History Museum deals with the natural history of Ireland. There are 10,000 animals on display in the Museum of Natural History from not just Ireland, but from all four corners of the globe. The National Museum of Ireland is situated in Collin's Barracks, and displays of decorative arts which date back to prehistoric times to more modern eras can be seen here. The museum is easily accessible by taking the Luas from Abbey Street.

Art Galleries

The National Gallery of Ireland houses the national collection of Irish and European Art which is owned by the Irish Government. The museum has an impressive display of paintings and sculptures from many of the world's most famous artists including Monet, Caravaggio and Van Gogh. The Gallery also has a recently built display wing which houses traveling exhibitions. Entrance to the museum is free of charge, and its central location means it is a must see.

Libraries

The two main libraries in Dublin are the National Library of Ireland and the Chester Beatty Library. The National Library houses the worlds largest collection of Irish documents, including books, manuscripts, periodicals, drawing, photographs, maps and newspapers. The National Gallery has no entrance fee, but a readers ticket is needed if you wish to read any of the materials. The Chester Beatty Library houses an excellent collection of Islamic, Chinese, Japanese and Indian manuscripts. The library was created by Chester Beatty who left the library to the Irish State upon his death.