Hotels near National Museum of Ireland Archaeology

The National Museum of Ireland Archaeology branch on Kildare Street, opened in 1890, holds the country's finest collection of prehistoric and early-medieval artefacts and is free to enter. Its Treasury room alone contains the Ardagh Chalice, the Tara Brooch, and the Derrynaflan Hoard, three of the most important pieces of insular Celtic metalwork ever found.

Equally arresting is the Kingship and Sacrifice gallery, which displays four preserved Iron Age bog bodies dating from around 400 to 200 BC, alongside an explanation of the ritual sacrifices that placed them in the bogs. Upstairs galleries cover Viking and medieval Dublin, with longship-era swords, walrus-ivory gaming pieces, and reconstructions of waterfront houses excavated at Wood Quay.

Pro Tip: All four branches of the National Museum of Ireland (Archaeology, Decorative Arts at Collins Barracks, Natural History, Country Life in Mayo) are free to enter, so this is the best rainy-day backup plan in central Dublin - note that the building closes on Mondays, so plan around that.