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DUBLIN’S NATURAL HISTORY Museum has been open more than 160 years, but for the past decade a chunk of its collection has remained off limits to the general public.
A stairwell collapsed in 2007, injuring 11 people, and subsequent safety inspections found access to fire exits from the two upper balconies level was inadequate.
Bringing the ‘museum of museums’ in line with modern safety and accessibility standards was sure to be an expensive job – and as the country’s finances took a turn for the worst soon after 2007, it was put on the long finger.
Now close to eleven years after they were first closed, the upper balcony levels, containing birds, reptiles, invertebrates, and a massive collection of Blaskcha models, remain shut off.
However, the museum has been earmarked for roughly €15 million in government funding, to allow works which will bring it up to scratch to take place.
Watch the video above for our full report, and view the 3D tours mentioned here.
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Stop with the auto video playing please
Would really like to see the main BOI building in College Green (they should give it back to the country) turned into a natural history museum and add a couple of copied/synthetic dinosaur fossils and have some other type of borrowed with permission displays, Egyptian comes to mind. Some hanging walkways so you can get up and close with a T-Rex’s head. Cafes and play areas for the little people wouldn’t be a bad addition either.
Give this small but none the less important building up for IRISH literature and art maybe.
@Declan: The Nat Hist museum is a classic museum piece in itself and should NOT be changed. As a ‘dead zoo’ it one of the best maintained classic Victorian-Style Natural History museums in Europe.
Ireland’s stately home of death!?! I immediately thought “The Seanad”…
Happy that they’re spending our money on this. Great place imo…
Totally agree that this museum is a piece of history itself. But the building needs urgent work to be able to enjoy all of it. There should be a modern natural history museum/science museum built elsewhere. Doesn’t need to be right in the middle of town. Maybe an ultra modern building somewhere in Phoenix Park. At least something is finally being done. It’s a start.
The stiffs won’t be too bothered either way
have your say