Description
Experience Glasnevin is a world-class historical landmark and beautifully landscaped garden cemetery located just north of Dublin city centre, offering families an immersive window into Ireland's past. As one of the most culturally rich things to do with kids in Dublin, this massive 124-acre heritage site brings history to life through interactive museum displays, sprawling tree-lined walking pathways, and thrilling climbs up Ireland’s tallest round tower. Children can follow the footsteps of historic leaders, explore outdoor celtic cross trails, and listen to gripping tales of ordinary and extraordinary lives spanning nearly two centuries.
Prices start from £0.00 for infants and very young children, while museum exhibition and guided tour bundles range from €13.00 up to €22.00 depending on the age brackets and the specific experience package selected. Please note that because the national cemetery is situated within the Republic of Ireland, all admission tickets, the gift shop, and the adjoining visitor café process transactions in Euros (€).
If you are looking for the best place for a day out with family and kids that perfectly balances an educational museum trip, scenic outdoor gardens, and spectacular panoramic city views, this iconic Dublin destination provides a deeply engaging and unforgettable experience.
Features
- Paid
- Host birthday parties: No
Features
Top Features
- Ireland's National Cemetery: Serves as the final resting place for over 1.5 million people, containing the stories of the ordinary and extraordinary individuals who shaped modern Ireland.
- The O'Connell Tower Climb: Invites families to ascend all 198 steps of the tallest round tower in Ireland for unparalleled, birds-eye views across Dublin, Wicklow, and the Irish Sea.
- Interactive Indoor Exhibition: Features a state-of-the-art multimedia museum experience packed with audio-visual presentations, tactile touchscreens, and engaging hands-on activities for kids.
- The Tower Café: Complements outdoor wanderings with a family-friendly eatery next to the main hub serving freshly prepared artisan sandwiches, cakes, and warm treats daily.
Highlights
- The Experience Glasnevin Exhibition: Located directly within the Visitor Centre, this award-winning museum tells the expansive story of Irish social and political history. Children can engage with multi-layered touchscreen games, look through digital archives, and interact with hands-on displays that help map out how the city grew over generations.
- The O’Connell Tower Crypt: Before stepping up the tower, families can look into the beautifully restored, ornate stone crypt at the base. It is the final resting place of Daniel O’Connell, the cemetery's famous founder, and features intricate historic wall blocks where every stone tells a distinct story.
- The 198-Step Tower Spiral: Older kids and parents can challenge themselves to climb the painstakingly restored 19th-century staircase to the very top of the round tower. Standing at one of the highest vantage points in the county, children can use the panoramic windows to spot the Dublin shipping ports, the Irish Sea, and distant mountain ridges.
- The Michael Collins Graveside: As one of the most visited locations on the park grounds, this simple but highly significant grave tells a monumental story of the Irish War of Independence. Tour guides use this spot to share gripping, age-appropriate tales of bravery and secret codes that keep school-aged children completely hooked.
- The Celtic Cross Sculptures: Strolling through the beautiful garden pathways reveals a massive collection of monumental masonry. Children can admire the sprawling stone structures, look for unique carvings of birds and ancient script, and learn how early craftspeople carved these iconic Irish symbols centuries ago.
Beyond the Main Attraction: Beyond the core cemetery tours, families can seamlessly extend their day out into a grand double-bill itinerary. The cemetery grounds share a direct pedestrian boundary gate with the spectacular National Botanic Gardens, allowing your family to walk straight from the historic monuments into giant, warm glass greenhouses filled with exotic tropical plants and giant water lilies. Alternatively, a short 10-minute drive or bus hop brings you into Dublin city centre, where kids can tour the old stone ramparts of Dublin Castle or enjoy an interactive storytelling session at The Little Museum of Dublin.
2.32 miles
