Dublinia unveils its €2m facelift

Dublinia, the Viking and medieval Dublin exhibition, has been relaunched by Minister for Tourism Mary Hanafin following a €2 million redevelopment.

The heritage and research centre originally opened in 1993 at Dublin’s Christchurch and attracts more than 125,000 visitors a year. Tourists account for three quarters of its visitors.

The refurbishment work began in February 2009 and includes more interactive and audio-visual displays, as well as Viking and medieval artefacts. The interactive experience allows visitors to walk through Dublin history, complete with sounds and smells.

A new exhibition, History Hunters, was also unveiled today. It shows how archaeology provides information on our past and how it affects the lives of Dubliners in the modern age.

Ms Hanafin said Dublinia had been one of the city's most popular tourist attractions since it first opened its doors.

“This new exhibition and interactive displays will be a great attraction for tourists and students alike, and will greatly help us all in our understanding of the fascinating lives of the Vikings in Dublin,” she said.

The Government tourism agency Fáilte Ireland provided more than half of the redevelopment fund.

Dublinia chief executive Denise Brophy said overseas and domestic visitors were becoming increasingly sophisticated and discerning in terms of choice. “We recognise that there must be continual innovation and reinvestment in the cultural product offering to meet this demand.”