Heritage hot spots History, nature, art, environment

COLLINS BARRACKS: What is it?The National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts History, at Collins Barracks in Dublin, is the largest of the museum's four sites, three of which are in Dublin and the other of which is in Turlough Park, in Co Mayo. The museum converted the early neoclassical building, designed by Col Thomas Burgh as a military barracks, in 1997.

Why visit?The large open-plan rooms, spread over three floors, offer visitors an excellent chance to view many of the museum's collections. These include furniture from the 17th to the 20th centuries, Irish clothing and jewellery from the past 250 years, Irish silver – one of the world's largest collections – and Irish coins and currency over 1,000 years.

The award-winning Soldiers and Chiefs exhibition, which covers the Irish at war at home and abroad from 1550 to 2001, includes a reconstruction of a soldier’s room at the barracks.

There is also an exhibition on the Irish modernist designer and architect Eileen Gray.

Why now?It's always a good time to explore our national and international heritage.

In particular, the exhibition on Irish high crosses is worth catching before it closes, in the autumn. The six 100-year-old plaster-of-Paris casts of high crosses and replicas of early medieval treasures allow you to appreciate early Christian decoration from what is now called the golden age of Irish art.

The museum holds regular public tours and Hands on History events in which children can handle objects from the museum’s collections. Conservation tours give visitors a chance to see how artefacts are maintained. There will be a storytelling event for all ages at 3pm on May 20th with Nuala Hayes and Kate Corkery. (Booking required.)

How do I get there?Collins Barracks is on Benburb Street, a stone's throw from the River Liffey and Heuston Station. It's a 20- or 30-minute walk from O'Connell Bridge, or you can take the Luas red line. Admission is free, and the museum is open Tuesday to Saturday 10am-5pm and Sundays 2pm-5pm; 01-6777444, museum.ie.