After a major six year refurbishment, The National Gallery of Ireland reopened two of its spectacular historic wings in June 2017. As an art loving student at Trinity College next door, I often visited the NGI and attended Sunday morning film screenings, and although there was only a small rotating selection of works on display in the millennium wing, it’s always been one of Dublin’s cultural highlights for me. The new gallery spaces were unveiled during my last week in Dublin, but I’ve been back many times since. Highlights of the collection include masterpieces by Caravaggio, Vermeer, Picasso and Irish modernists such as as Jack B Yeats and Mary Swanzy.
The gallery is in the heart of beautiful Georgian Dublin, within a short walking distance of Baggot Street, Merrion Row and Nassau Street, which all have great food and drink options. There are fully accessible entrances in Merrion Square and Clare Street, and disabled parking spaces are located outside the Merrion Square entrance. There’s a very good large and airy cafe by the Clare Street entrance. Wheelchairs are available for use in the Gallery free of charge, on a first-come first-served basis.
The NGI has been refurbished with universal access in mind, with new core lifts and step free access throughout the galleries and facilities.Visitors with guide dogs are welcome in the gallery. The lecture theatre, AV room and gallery shop are all fitted with a loop system for the hearing impaired. Tours for the visually and hearing impaired are regularly organised, as well as tours for people with reduced mobility. All tailored access events are listed here. Full access info is described on the gallery’s website.
The National Gallery of Ireland gets 3 BBS ticks for Georgian style, great art and full access.
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