A Trip to EPIC: The Irish Emigration Museum

Katie Doyle
May 8
4 min read

If you’re looking for something to do in Dublin, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, is not just for tourists! As someone who’s grown up in Dublin, sometimes it easy to overlook the fantastic experiences on our doorstep. I’ve done museums all over the world, but this was in second-to-none on technology, storytelling and ambiance that brings you right into the heart of Irish history and celebration of our ever-evolving culture.

How it Started:

EPIC is a privately owned museum, founded by Neville Isdell, former chairman and chief executive of The Coca-Cola Company, who was born in County Down and greets you through hologram on arrival. In May 2016, EPIC was officially opened by former President of Ireland Mary Robinson.

The exhibition was designed and developed by a London-based specialist museum design consultancy called Event Communications that had also designed the award-winning Titanic Belfast attraction. At its opening in 2016, the Irish Independent reported that Isdell has invested 15 million euro in the project, and that "my experience was of a bold series of 20 galleries slickly fitted with at times breathtakingly immersive technology-driven displays".

The Exhibition

The location of EPIC is the first thing that’s astounding, against the glassy halls of the CHQ- you take a staircase down into the vaults, lending to a historic element of Dublin, evident in the walls. CHQ, formerly known as Stack A, or the Tobacco Store, was built between 1817 and 1820 to store valuable cargoes of tobacco, tea and spirits. It overlooks the River Liffey, which was the departure point for so many people who fled the country during The Famine so it’s a very fitting home for Ireland’s emigration museum.

The exhibition space itself is made up of twenty galleries interconnected by rounded entryways, with each room unveiling something new and unexpected. The ambiance changes room to room, some solemn, some celebratory, others outstanding in their use of projected cinematography and images on the wall.

EPIC sets out to answer one prevailing question: what makes us Irish? Through the halls of EPIC, you’re asked – as an Irish person, descendant or interested tourist- to answer this question. Is it the rolling hills and Irish landscape that calls us home to our Emerald Isle? Is it our red hair, a genetic marker of Irishness, as we have unusual high percentages of 10% to 30% of the population? Maybe it’s great Irish men and women that went on to change the world: like Saint St. Patrick, inventor Robert Boyle, politician Daniel O'Connell, and explorer Ernest Shackleton. Perhaps its our Irish dancing, our music and our songs that have spread out across continents with the help of our diaspora, estimated at 70 million. It could be the stories written by Bram Stoker, Wilde’s poetry and James Joyce’s Ulysess that knit the fabric of our Irish heritage. Maybe it’s our unique Irish politics, the need for escape during the famine, our compassion in the face of turmoil and our ability as a people to survive anything? Or finally, perhaps it’s our unique sports- maybe what makes us Irish is hurling and our presence in any number of sports competed around the world.

Through fantastic interactive exhibitions, noise and music features, lighting and designs that will surprise you down to the detail- EPIC has something for everyone. Whether it’s a family day out, a couple looking for something different, an individual wanting to wander for the day or groups looking to explore Irish culture in a new and fascinating way.

Just across the street you also have another stalworth of Irish history: a real remake of a famous Irish famine boat that crossed the Atlantic in 1848! Read our Jeanie Johnson Article here:

Pricing:

Make sure to book your tickets online in advance to secure your preferred date and time slot. By booking online in advance you’ll also get our cheapest price, saving from €1-€3 per ticket. Walk-ins are also welcome at EPIC and you can buy your tickets when you arrive from our ticket desk at their standard rates.

Adult price is €21 online and €23 on the day, while kid (6-12 years old) prices are 10.50/€11.50 with teenager, student, and OAP rates available alongside family packages and group discounts while kids under 5 go free!

The best thing is that because there’s so much to see and do at EPIC- one visit is never enough. That’s why they’ve included a FREE return visit with your ticket within 10 days.

Find out more here: https://epicchq.com/visit/prices-tours

How to Get There:

EPIC is located in the heart of Dublin city centre, in Dublin’s Docklands. The area is fast becoming a must-see destination on any sightseeing tour of the city. From stunning modern architecture to historic buildings like the Custom House and IFSC, from cafés and restaurants to river trips.

You can get to EPIC by taking the RED line Luas from the city centre on Abbey Street, it’s close by Connolly with Dart connections to North and South County Dublin, Wexford and Belfast. Parking is available and it’s just a 20 minute walk from O’Connell Street.

Restaurants:

If you want to make a day of it- there’s lots on offer for food and dining in the CHQ. You can choose from:

TOSS’D Noodles & Salads: offering a wide range of wholesome freshly prepared salads and Asian & European noodle dishes which are cooked to order in an open kitchen.
Urban Brewing: Dublin’s newest microbrewery, allows you to taste exclusive beers as fresh as possible, straight from the tank. Besides the beers they brew onsite, it stocks over 200 beers from all over the world, ciders, wines , spirits and cocktails, along with a wonderful downstairs restaurants in another vault!
Seven Wonders: specialises in bagels, salads, juices & smoothies, wraps and more. Their vast menu offers a range of hot meals from curries to noodles, alongside their fantastic bagels which we would highly recommend!
Upshoots: offering breakfast, soup, bowls and burritos, they also have vegan friendly options. Their menu offers a range of exciting hot and cold dishes so that you can enjoy fresh ingredients right in the centre of the CHQ.
The Bakehouse: specialising in a delicious range of traditional, simple and Irish based food. This includes breakfast options, sandwiches, soups, stews and salads along with freshly baked cakes, teas & coffees.