What to book before going to Dublin

Book these before you travel

• Trinity College and the Book of Kells

  Book ahead

  Book a timed ticket online before you travel. Same-day slots for the Book of Kells and Old Library often sell out.

  Open 9:00 am–6:30 pm

  Monday to Thursday 8:30 to 18:30, Friday and Saturday 8:30 to 19:00, Sunday 9:00 to 18:30. Entry is by timed ticket.

  See the guided visit

  Source: Trinity College Dublin, Book of Kells Experience, checked October 5, 2026

• Kilmainham Gaol

  Book ahead

  Every visit needs a booked ticket and the official site is the only seller. A limited number of tours are released 28 days ahead at midnight Irish time, and more tickets for the day go online from 9:15. Children under 12 are free but still need a ticket.

  Open 9:30 am–5:15 pm

  The visitor centre opens at 9:30 and the museum at 10:30. Tours run in timed slots through the day and the site closes at 17:15 (16:15 and 16:45 on 23 December). It is closed from 24 to 27 December.

  Source: Kilmainham Gaol Museum (OPW), checked October 5, 2026

Booking saves you the queue

• Guinness Storehouse

  Booking advised

  Booking a time slot online is strongly recommended. If a slot is sold out online it will not be available at the door, and tickets cost 2 euros more on the day.

  Open 10:00 am–7:00 pm · last entry 5:00 pm

  Monday to Friday and Sunday the building stays open until 19:00, Saturday until 20:00. Entry runs until 17:00 on weekdays and Sundays and until 18:00 on Saturdays, so the last entry is two hours before closing. The official page says hours are subject to change.

  See tickets

  Source: Guinness Storehouse, checked October 5, 2026

• Dublin Castle

  Booking advised

  Tickets can be booked online up to 15 days ahead. A limited number are sold on the day at the ticket desk, so book if you have a fixed date.

  Open 9:45 am–5:45 pm · last entry 5:15 pm

  Open daily 9:45 to 17:45, with last admission at 17:15. Guided tours run from 10:00 to 16:30. As a government building, the castle can close rooms at short notice. The Chester Beatty library inside the grounds is closed to the public until the end of December 2026.

  See the guided visit

  Source: Dublin Castle, checked October 5, 2026

• EPIC, the Irish Emigration Museum

  Booking advised

  Advance booking is recommended. Tickets are sold on the museum's own site.

  Open 10:00 am–6:45 pm · last entry 5:00 pm

  Open daily from 10:00 to 18:45, with last entry at 17:00.

  See tickets

  Source: EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, checked October 5, 2026

• The Little Museum of Dublin

  Booking advised

  Entry is by guided tour only. The museum says its tours book up quickly, so book ahead online.

  Open 9:30 am–5:00 pm · last entry 4:30 pm

  Open daily from 9:30 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:30.

  Source: The Little Museum of Dublin, checked October 5, 2026

No booking needed

Turn up when it suits the day.

• St Patrick's Cathedral
• Christ Church Cathedral
• National Museum of Ireland, ArchaeologyFree
• National Gallery of IrelandFree
• Temple BarFree
• St Stephen's GreenFree
• Phoenix ParkFree
• Merrion SquareFree
• Irish Museum of Modern ArtFree