About EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum
Ah, sure look, if you're exploring the best museums in Docklands Dublin, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum is your absolute must-visit. Tucked inside the beautifully restored CHQ Building on Custom House Quay, this isn't your dusty old museum, it's a high-tech, immersive journey through 1,500 years of Irish emigration stories. Voted Europe's Leading Tourist Attraction three years running, EPIC brings the tales of millions who left Ireland's shores to life with interactive touchscreens, holographic projections, and evocative artefacts. Picture yourself tracing the paths of famous Irish emigrants like the Kennedy family or U2's forebears, all while soaking in the stunning vaulted ceilings of this Georgian warehouse turned cultural hotspot.
The Docklands location is perfect, steps from the Liffey, with cranes and glass towers framing the historic quay, symbolising Dublin's reinvention from port to tech hub. It's a sensory delight: the faint echo of dockside echoes, the briny whiff of the river, and visuals that hit you right in the diaspora feels.
What to Expect
Ten themed galleries cover emigration waves, from famine flights to modern tech migrants. Expect hands-on exhibits like the Irish Pub set (complete with virtual pints), passenger ship recreations, and the Irish Family History Centre next door for digging into your roots. Allow 90 minutes to two hours; audio guides in multiple languages, plus kids' trails make it family-friendly. Current highlights include the 'Frontlines: Irish Journalists Abroad' exhibition, powerful stuff on global storytelling.
Insider Tips
Book tickets online to skip queues, especially in peak summer, last entry 5pm sharp. Pair it with a riverside stroll to the nearby Famine Memorial or hop on the Luas at George's Dock stop (two-minute walk). Visit midweek mornings for fewer crowds, and grab a coffee in CHQ's Neighbourhood eateries. Combo tickets with Jeanie Johnston Ship save cash. Pro tip: Download the EPIC app for extra emigration playlists to soundtrack your Docklands wander. Whether you're Irish abroad or just curious about Dublin's global soul, EPIC delivers that 'whoa' moment every time. Don't miss it on your 10 days in Dublin!