About the National Gallery of Ireland
Just a hop from St Stephen's Green on Merrion Square West, this neoclassical powerhouse boasts 17,000 artworks spanning Caravaggio to contemporary Irish masters. Housed in a purpose-built wing plus historic Millennium Wing, it's free entry to feasts for the eyes amid marble halls and skylit atria. Jack Yeats' vivid canvases capture rural Ireland; Vermeer's quiet intimacy mesmerises.
What to Expect
Irish collection shines: AE's watercolours, Orpen portraits. European rooms dazzle with Monet, Picasso. Audio tours via app; kids' trails hunt treasures. Café overlooks gardens; shop stocks prints. Open late Thursdays; 2-3 hours ideal. Rotating shows like recent Vermeer focus draw crowds.
Insider Tips
Enter via Lincoln Place side for fewer queues. Thursday evens for jazz nights. Stroll Merrion Square post-visit, Oscar Wilde statue winks nearby. Pair with Natural History Museum across road. Locals tip: Seek the Yeats family room for generational genius. Sunny days? Garden picnic with gallery views. This cornerstone of Dublin's cultural scene elevates any St Stephen's Green itinerary.
Premier among museums near St Stephen's Green Dublin, free masterpieces in elegant surrounds.