Little Museum of Dublin
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox museum
| name = Little Museum of Dublin
| native_name = Músaem Beag Bhaile Átha Cliath
| native_name_lang = ga
| logo = Little Museum of Dublin.jpg
| logo_upright =
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| image = The Little Museum of Dublin.jpg
| image_upright =
| alt = A four storey redbrick building
| caption =
| map_type = Ireland Central Dublin
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| coordinates = {{coord|53.3395|N|6.2582|W|source:wikidata|display=it}}
| former_name =
| established = October 2011
| dissolved =
| location = 15 St Stephen's Green, Dublin, Ireland
| type = Local history museum, urban museum
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| founder = Trevor White and Simon O’Connor
| director = Trevor White
| president =
| ceo =
| chairperson = Brody Sweeney
| curator = Simon O'Connor
| architect =
| historian =
| owner =
| publictransit = St. Stephen's Green (Luas Green Line)
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| website = {{URL|littlemuseum.ie}}
| embedded =
}}
The Little Museum of Dublin is a local history museum situated at St Stephen's Green, Dublin, Ireland. The museum is located in an 18th-century Georgian townhouse owned by Dublin City Council. As of April 2024, the St Stephen's Green museum was "temporarily closed", with its operators reputedly planning to "reopen shortly" at an alternative venue on Dublin's Pembroke Street.{{Cite tweet |user= littlemuseumdub |number= 1777252607242731948 |title= The Museum Is Temporarily Closed! We will reopen shortly as The History Factory on Pembroke Street. We hope to welcome you very soon! | date = 8 April 2024 }}
Collection
As a local history museum for the city of Dublin, the Little Museum chronicles the history of the city in the 20th century. It provides visitors with information on life in Dublin during that time period. The Little Museum, the "brainchild" of director Trevor White and curator Simon O'Connor, was formed in April 2011 and officially opened its doors to the public in October of the same year.{{cite web|url = http://www.vulgo.ie/features/visit-the-little-museum-of-dublin-says-eithne-owens/ | title = Visit the Little Museum, says Ethine Owens | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20140320184724/http://www.vulgo.ie/features/visit-the-little-museum-of-dublin-says-eithne-owens/ |archivedate=2014-03-20 | first = Ethine | last = Owens | website = Vulgo.ie}} A registered charity,{{Cite web |title=Little Museum of Dublin set for new cinema and library after €1m boost |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/dublin/lifestyle/little-museum-of-dublin-set-for-new-cinema-and-library-after-1m-boost-41936857.html |access-date=2022-11-23 |website=independent |date=25 August 2022 |language=en}} the museum is governed by a board that includes representatives of Dublin City Council and Fáilte Ireland.{{fact|date=November 2022}}
The museum has a collection of over 5,000 artefacts that have been donated or loaned directly from the people of Dublin. It has three floors of exhibition space in the Georgian townhouse and one floor for office space. The collection includes a stained glass panel of St. Brendan, dated to {{circa|1920}}, which is attributed to Irish artist Harry Clarke.{{Cite magazine |last=Beard |first=Steve |date=2022-09-11 |title=An Unintentional Irish Pilgrimage |url=https://stevebeard.goodnewsmag.org/an-unintentional-irish-pilgrimage/ |access-date=2024-05-03 |magazine=Good News}} The small panel was rescued from a skip, by Peter Pearson,{{cite magazine | url = https://www.historyireland.com/museum-eye-the-little-museum-of-dublin/ | magazine = History Ireland | title = Museum eye: The Little Museum of Dublin | issue = 5 | volume = 20 | date = September 2012 | accessdate = 4 September 2024 }} and some pieces are missing. In 2014, the museum purchased an archive of work by artist and poet Christy Brown. As of 19 March 2014, the Little Museum and the National Library of Ireland were the joint owners of a collection that includes private letters and previously unseen sketches, paintings, and poems. The collection was sold by Bonhams in London for nearly 45,000 euro.{{cite web|url = http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books-arts/christy-brown-collection-saved-for-the-nation-at-auction-30109110.html | title = Christy Brown Collection Saved | publisher = Independent News & Media | website = independent.ie | date = 19 March 2014 | accessdate = 29 June 2021 }}
Exhibitions in the museum include displays covering the 1916 Rising, U.S. President John F. Kennedy's visit to Dublin, and many other events in Irish political and social history. In 2014 the museum opened an exhibit that focuses on the rock band U2.{{cite web|url = http://www.littlemuseum.ie/events/u2-made-in-dublin | title = U2: Made in Dublin | accessdate = 20 March 2014 | website = littlemuseum.ie}}
Patrons of the Little Museum include Dublin City Council, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Matheson Foundation, and The Ireland Funds.{{cite web|url = https://www.littlemuseum.ie/our-patrons | website = littlemuseum.ie | title = Our Patrons | accessdate = 29 June 2021 | quote = museum patrons include the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Matheson Foundation, the Ireland Funds, and Dublin City Council }}
Recognition
In 2012, the Little Museum of Dublin was nominated for the European Museum of the Year Award.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}}
An Irish Times article of May 2013 listed the Little Museum as the "best museum experience in Dublin".{{cite web|url = http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/the-best-of-culture-1.1396386 | title = Best of…Culture | first1 = Rosa | last1 = Abbott | first2 = Daniel | last2 = Gray| date = 18 May 2013 | publisher = Irish Times | accessdate = 17 July 2013}} In 2014, TripAdvisor awarded the museum with a Certificate of Excellence for the third year in a row. In February 2014 the museum won a "David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Award" in the Arts category.{{cite web|url = http://www.davidmanleyawards.ie/2014-awards-review/ | title = David Manley Award Winners| website = davidmanleyawards.ie | archiveurl = https://archive.today/20140320164944/http://www.davidmanleyawards.ie/2014-awards-review/ |archivedate=2014-03-20 }} As of 2022, The Little Museum was ranked #4 on TripAdvisor's "things to do in Dublin".{{cite web|url = http://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attractions-g186605-Activities-oa0-Dublin_County_Dublin.html | title = Things to Do in Dublin | work = TripAdvisor | accessdate = 23 November 2022 }}
Other programs
In June 2011, the Little Museum launched an initiative called "City of a Thousand Welcomes". The goal of this initiative was to show the "warmth of local Dubliners" to visitors to the city, by connecting first-time visitors to Dublin with hospitable locals. Over 1,000 such local "ambassadors" were sought to advise visitors on "underestimated" attractions in Dublin, and included historians, teachers, writers and other ordinary city residents.{{Cite web|title=Have a pint on the city. How Dublin's friendly-city reputation has given rise to a unique visitor experience|url=https://www.ireland.com/en-us/ireland-stories/people-and-culture/articles/have-a-pint-on-the-city/|access-date=2020-12-19|website=Ireland.com|language=en| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150923164747/https://www.ireland.com/en-us/ireland-stories/people-and-culture/articles/have-a-pint-on-the-city/ | archive-date = 23 September 2015 }}{{Cite web|last=Colley|first=Jessica|date=2012-07-13|title=Dublin: The "City of a Thousand Welcomes" program connects tourists and locals {{!}} EuroCheapo|url=https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/dublin-the-city-of-a-thousand-welcomes-program-connects-tourists-and-locals.html|access-date=2020-12-19|website=EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog|language=en-US}} The program, a "civic initiative", aimed to connect first-time visitors to Dublin with a local ambassador who would welcome them by taking them out for a cup of tea or a pint.{{cite web|url = https://www.littlemuseum.ie/visit-the-museum/city-of-a-thousand-welcomes/ | website = littlemuseum.ie | title = City of a Thousand Welcomes | accessdate = 29 June 2021 }} As of 2021, as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland, this initiative was not active.{{cite web|url =https://www.littlemuseum.ie/cotw-booking-form | publisher = Little Museum | website = littlemuseum.ie | title = City of a Thousand Welcomes Booking Form | accessdate = 29 June 2021 | quote = Due to the coronavirus, we are currently unable to accept new reservations for the City of a Thousand Welcomes programme }}
The museum also offers "I Love Dublin" classes for school children ages 6–17.
Gallery
File:Little museum front room lo.jpg|Front Room of the museum
File:Little museum back room lo.jpg|Telephone display in the Treasury Room
File:Groceries lo.jpg|Groceries display in Treasury Room
File:Devalera instructions lo.jpg|Rare decree of plenipotentiaries signed by Eamon De Valera under the heading Anglo Irish treaty
File:Gold flake lightbox.jpg|Gold flake lightbox
File:Messenger bike.jpg|Messenger bike
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official|http://www.littlemuseum.ie/}}
- [https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/the-little-museum-of-dublin The Little Museum of Dublin at Google Cultural Institute]
{{Museums and Galleries in Ireland}}
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Category:Museums in Dublin (city)
Category:History museums in the Republic of Ireland
Category:Art museums and galleries in the Republic of Ireland