Museum of Archaeology, National Museum of Ireland (Kildare Street)

The Museum of Archaeology is probably one of the most interesting and richest of its kind in Europe. It was opened in 1890 on Kildare Street and was the result of merging together the collections of the Royal Dublin Society, the Royal Irish Academy and, later on, the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. One of the highlights of the collection is the display of the four Bog Bodies. These 2,000-year-old and now partly mummified bodies tell their own stories of violent death or sacrifice. The other great assemblies of artefacts include items from primordial history in Prehistoric Ireland and one of the world’s greatest ancient gold collections can be viewed in Ireland’s Gold. Giving a glimpse into other past epochs are the collections in The Treasury, Celtic Ireland, Viking Age Ireland, Medieval Ireland and even a virtual trip abroad to take in Ancient Egypt. For hours of opening and more information www.museum.ie/en-IE/Museums/Archaeology