IMMA - Irish Museum of Modern Art

IMMA or the Irish Museum of Modern Art near Heuston station is very convenient, absolutely excellent and FREE. Apart from an impressive permanent collection there are regular novel exhibitions and installations....you will never look at humble grains of rice in quite the same way again? Opening in November is an exhibition of photography on loan from MOMA, which indicates the prestige of this institution.Portraying familiar images of life in New York city many Irish will readily identify with having lost several generations to emigration there in the 50's. No doubt a few Irish faces will be picked out high up on the steel girders of the skyscrapers under construction or down at street level going about their business ....

The building itself is terribly impressive being the finest 17th century building in Ireland. Modelled on Les Invalides in Paris it was built by the Duke of Ormonde as a home for retired soldiers, it was restored by the Government in 1984 and opened as Ireland’s first national institution for modern art in 1991. Since then it has gone from strength to strength, attracting many visitors at home and internationally with an ongoing of events and art education. There is a good cafe and lovely formal garden to relax in. There are FREE guided tours at 2.30 each day but please note the museum is closed on Mondays.

10 Other things to do in the area are.....

1 Visit the Guinness Storehouse, no I didn’t think you needed to be asked twice, you will smell the hops before you see it.

2 Stroll through the Liberties, so called as it was a tax-free zone in medieval times and enjoy the banter of street traders on Thomas Street.

3 St Audeons Church, visit the the oldest medieval church in Ireland.

4 Learn about Viking Dublin at the Dublinia exhibition which has recently been revamped, buy a dual ticket so you can cross over the covered arch into Christchurch Cathedral.

5 But before you do treat yourself to coffee and chocolate cake in the cutest little cafe at the top of the stairs through the gift shop, not many people know about this little hidden gem at all.

5 Visit Christchurch Cathedral, dont forget to look down at the mischevious foxes on the floor tiles, see the tomb of Strongbow and visit the Treasury in the Crypt, the largest in the British Isles.

6 Stroll down the hill to have a pint in the Brazen Head one of the oldest in Dublin.

7 Or hang a right at the river Liffey and Wander up any of the side streets to wander through Temple Bar.

8 Check out the Irish Film Centre there and Meeting House square, always plenty of activity there, very busy at night and on the weekends.

9 Cross over the Liffey into the new Latin Quarter and admire the tiled fresco of the last supper which depicts the faces of real life Dubliners picked at random.

10 Walk along the Liffey Boardwalk to see Dublin from the river, but be careful, not the safest at night.

For more things to see and do in Dublin please click here.

For more information on IMMA please click here.