Ireland has many fabulous museums that you can visit from the comfort of your armchair. So why not put your feet up and sneak a peek at what they have to offer by taking a virtual tour.
1. National Gallery
Take an armchair stroll through the Grand Gallery to see large-scale paintings such as Jan Wyck's The Battle of the Boyne and works by Goya and Gainsborough. Then take the sweeping staircase down to the Shaw Room to view Maclise’s impressive The Marriage of Strongbow and Aoife.
2. Natural History Museum
Explore four fascinating floors of the museum and wonder at Irish fauna such as giant deer, mammals of the world, fascinating underwater domains and one of the world's largest collections of Blaschka models – unique nineteenth-century glass miniatures of animal and plants.
3. EPIC, The Irish Emigration Museum
Immerse yourself in Ireland’s dramatic emigration story on a virtual tour of EPIC. Along the way you’ll learn about the journeys of Ireland’s 10 million emigrants and hear the stories of Irish people who made their mark on the world.
4. Ulster Folk Museum
Click your way through the highlights of the Ulster Folk Museum and discover what life was like in Ulster over 100 years ago. Visit workshops, schools, churches, shops and homes and get an insight into the history of the period.
5. Medieval Museum, Waterford
Feast your eyes on some of the great treasures of medieval Ireland and Europe as you tour this award-winning museum. Among the gems are stunning fifteenth-century cloth-of-gold vestments and the Great Parchment Book of Waterford.
6. National Library of Ireland
View the sumptuous interior of the library and browse the bookshelves which hold the most comprehensive collection of Irish documentary material in the world. Or view the online exhibitions that include digital versions of rare documents and photographs.
7. Irish National Heritage Park
Travel through the millennia in a video overview of the 40-acre Heritage Park, which has 16 historical reconstructions spanning 9,000 years of Ireland’s history. You can also discover fun facts about prehistoric Ireland in a series of Heritage Park Digital videos.
8. Titanic Experience, Cobh
Step into the shoes of passengers of the ill-fated Titanic as they embark on their journey from Cobh, the last port of call for the ocean liner. See replicas of the third-class and first-class cabins on the ship and discover the facts behind its tragic sinking.
9. National Museum of Ireland, Archaeology
Zoom in and see the wonders of the museum in a virtual tour that will take you up close to Irish art from the Iron Age to the twelfth century, including precious Early Christian religious artifacts and the famous Tara Brooch.
10. Blackrock Castle Observatory
Take part in the Daily Astro Challenge presented by the Observatory. Whether or not you have a telescope, you can turn your eyes to the heavens and become familiar with the glories of the night sky.