National Maritime Museum of Ireland facts for kids
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Museum exterior
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| Established | 1978 |
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| Location | Moran Park, Dún Laoghaire, Ireland |
| Type | Maritime museum |
| Public transit access | Dún Laoghaire railway station Dublin Bus 7, 7a, 45a, 46a, 59, 111 |
The National Maritime Museum of Ireland (which is called Músaem Mhuirí Náisiúnta na hÉireann in Irish) is a cool place to learn about Ireland's sea history! It opened in 1978. You can find it in the old Mariners' Church in Moran Park, Dún Laoghaire. This town is in County Dublin, Ireland, right by the sea. Ireland's President, Michael D. Higgins, officially reopened the museum in 2012 after some updates.
Contents
Museum's Story
The building where the museum is now used to be a church. It was built in 1837 for sailors and their families. The church stayed open for many years, until 1971.
In 1974, the Church of Ireland and the Maritime Institute of Ireland made an agreement. This agreement helped turn the old church into the museum we see today.
How the Museum is Run
The museum gets some money from visitors and special events. It also relies on donations to keep going. Many amazing people volunteer their time to help run the museum. They also get help from a community program.
In July 2011, two beautiful new stained-glass windows were added. An artist named Peadar Lamb created them. The Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company helped pay for these windows. The museum officially reopened its doors to the public on June 5, 2012.
What You Can See
The museum has many interesting things to explore. Each exhibit tells a part of Ireland's maritime past.
Lighthouse Wonders
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One of the biggest things you'll see is the Baily Optic. This is a huge lens from the Baily Lighthouse. It was used to shine light far out to sea from 1902 to 1972. You can also see some inventions by John Richardson Wigham, who was famous for improving lighthouse technology.
The Great Eastern Ship
This exhibit tells the story of the SS Great Eastern. This was a giant ship designed by a famous engineer named Isambard Kingdom Brunel. You can see items that belonged to its captain, Robert Halpin. There's even a cool clockwork model of the ship!
RMS Leinster Story
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Learn about the RMS Leinster, a ship that sank in 1918. It was hit by a torpedo near the Kish Bank lighthouse, close to Dún Laoghaire. Over 500 people lost their lives in this sad event. The museum has items found from the wreck. You can also see special half-models of other ships from the same company: RMS Ulster, RMS Leinster, RMS Munster, and RMS Connaught.
St Columba's Chapel
This part of the museum remembers the brave Irish ships during World War II. You can see a collection of paintings by artist Kenneth King. There's also a flag from the MV Kerlogue ship, which has bullet holes in it from the war. The old Mariners' Church building itself is also a very interesting part of the museum to explore.
