A small museum inside a working army barracks, telling the story of Collins Barracks, the Defence Forces and one of Ireland's most personal Michael Collins collections. His greatcoat, two revolvers, rosary beads and the diary he was carrying when he was killed are all on display.
The museum's centrepiece is the collection of artefacts belonging to General Michael Collins, most donated in 1993 by his nephew. Look for his great coat, two of his revolvers, his War of Independence medal, his rosary beads and the personal diary he had with him on 22 August 1922, the day he was killed.
The museum sits in the Old Guard Room, designed by John Gibson in 1806 and one of the oldest buildings in the barracks, just inside the old Main Gate. A modern enclosed glass section looks out over the barracks parade ground.
Displays trace the barracks from its construction in 1801 and occupation by British troops in 1806, through its role as a staging post for the Napoleonic, Crimean, Zulu, Boer and First World Wars. It was handed to the IRA in May 1922 and visited by President John F Kennedy in 1963.
The collection includes a number of iconic military uniforms dating from the 1800s right through to the present day, alongside memorabilia from donated private collections.
The In the Service of Peace section covers Ireland's entry to the United Nations in 1955, the 32nd Battalion's deployment to the Congo in 1960, and the garrison's continuing service on peace support missions abroad.
In the grounds outside are a Shaker cannon from the 1550s, a rare mobile ordnance workshop, a 2 pounder field artillery piece from the 1940s and a Panhard armoured personnel carrier.
Load the interactive map to explore this place location.
