5 Free Activities for Families in Dublin

You have just arrived with your whole family in Dublin, and everyone has already jumped on the fluffy beds of our Maldron Hotel rooms in Smithfield. Now it’s time to discover the city! We have selected 5 free activities for families in Dublin. Have a look at the following part to find your schedule for the day.

 

1. Phoenix Park

One of the biggest parks in Europe in the Noth of the Liffey, Phoenix Park It’s 707 hectares (1,750 acres) of recreational space.  This free access park is a wonderful place to spend time, for example, playing football and volleyball on the large lawns. And If you are lucky between two games you could see some deers. In this park there is also a polo area, cricket, and hurling grounds. About the cultural aspect, the Phoenix Park welcome the Áras an Uachtaráin i.e., the house of the president which is open to the visit on Saturday. You can visit it in about 1h15 minutes and it is free of charge (we recommend you visit this place if you have children at least in High school). You can walk around the Ashtown Castle, a rediscovered medieval gem, and have a look at the Wellington Monument, a tall obelisk commemorating the victories of the Duck of Wellington. And after this free tour, you can have a picnic or go to one of the cafés in the area.

 

2. National gallery of Ireland

On a rainy day, you should visit the National gallery of Ireland. This museum located in the center of the Georgian Dublin will welcome you to take a part to some talks, events, and tours as well as the audio guide, everything is free of charge. This museum is really invested in opening its door to every age, the youngest can enjoy the visit with the free art pack. You can have this pack at the entrance for your kids and leave them to create their own art during the visit. Moreover, during the weekend there are free family workshops and tours! So, It’s time to discovers the Irish and European art!

 

3. National Botanic Gardens

The second most visited free attraction in Dublin, the National Botanic Gardens is a botanical garden found in the north city centers. It’s about 19 hectares of free space. Founded in 1795 by the Dublin Society, there are approximately 20,000 living plants and few greenhouses. This park takes part actively in biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. It’s the perfect place to let your kids run and discover the natural world. Most weekends you can access free kids’ art and natures classes and some workshops. From the Botanic Gardens you can now access the Glasnevin Cemetery by walking through a gateway above the trees. From this gateway you can see O’Connell tower built to commemorate this important figure of Ireland.

 

4. Bull Island

Everyone knows Dublin as a big city but that does not exclude a little trip to the beach. Bull Island is a National Nature Reserve located in the northern part of Dublin Bay. Created 200 years ago with the construction of the north bull wall to Dublin Port, Bull Island is the refuge for thousands of birds. Since 1930’s, this place has been the first official bird sanctuary in the country, and it has been part of UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1981. It’s the perfect place to swim, walk, take great pictures or build sandcastles on the beach. To access this area, you can go by car or on buses and finish the way by walking.

 

5. National Print Museum

Going to Dublin and visiting the National Print Museum for free, it’s possible to celebrate the 25 years of the museum! It’s the only museum of this type in Ireland. It proposes visiting the building, watching the collection of retired printers and compositors’ printers. The museum is really invested in involving families in its visits. So, you can do a “Family guide tour” making origami with Japanese Craft, using artefacts from the Museum’s collection…

You can also access at the education area. This space dedicated to families offers several free and self-guided activities including art and craft, alphabet games… All these activities are dedicated for kids between 3 and 7 years old.

The National Print Museum propose some “Family Fun Day”.  During those days, families can have a look at some printing demonstrations from volunteers but also take part in several workshops like:

  • printer’s hat-making,
  • ‘Wanted’ poster printing,
  • self-guided arts and crafts activities at the Education Area,
  • face-painting…

To help you to schedule your day, the museum is open from Tuesday to Friday between 10 am and 4 pm and from Saturday to Sunday between 12 pm and 4pm.

 

So now, you are ready to explore Dublin with family! Before going out to explore the city, don’t forget to fuel up for the day at the Maldron Hotel’s breakfast buffet!

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