Steam Museum, Straffan facts for kids
Welcome to The Steam Museum & Lodge Park Walled Garden! It's a super cool museum all about steam power, located in Straffan, County Kildare, Ireland. It's also a fun place to visit for tourists.
An Músaem Innealtóireachta | |
![]() An Ingersoll Rand air compressor, Imperial Type 10 (c. 1912)
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Established | 1988 |
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Location | Straffan, County Kildare, Ireland |
Type | Steam museum |
Public transit access | Straffan bus stop (Bus Éireann routes 120, 121, 123) |
Contents
Where is The Steam Museum Located?
The Steam Museum is in a very special building. It used to be a church in Dublin, near a place where trains were built. But then, the whole church building was carefully moved! It was taken apart and rebuilt right here in Straffan, County Kildare.
The museum sits on the beautiful grounds of Lodge Park. This used to be a large, old house. It also has a lovely walled garden that is over 200 years old!
What Can You See at the Museum?
Inside the museum, you'll find amazing machines! There are many model locomotives, which are like miniature trains. You can also see real, working steam engines.
Historic Locomotives
Two of the big locomotives on display are very old. They were used in the late 1800s by the Great Northern Railway. Imagine how fast they must have seemed back then!
Industrial Steam Engines
The museum also has a selection of large steam engines. These weren't for trains, but for powering factories and other industries.
- One huge engine is a "beam engine." It was used in the old Midleton Whiskey Distillery.
- Another pumping engine once worked at Jameson's Distillery in Dublin.
- There's even a beam engine that was installed in Smithwick's Brewery in Kilkenny way back in 1847!
Visiting The Steam Museum
The museum is open for visitors during the summer months. You can come from Wednesdays to Sundays, usually from 2 PM to 6 PM. It's a great place to learn about how steam power changed the world!
The museum also has a cozy café where you can grab a snack. And there's a small shop where you can find souvenirs to remember your visit.