Is it worth booking EPIC Museum in advance?

Walk-up entry is usually possible, but booking in advance secures your preferred time slot and avoids queues in peak season (June–August).

How much does it cost to visit EPIC Museum?

Standard adult admission is €22. Guided experiences start from €22 per person.

How long does a visit to EPIC Museum take?

Allow 2–2.5 hours for a comfortable visit. Arriving early in the morning or late afternoon helps avoid the busiest periods in summer.

How do I get to EPIC Museum?

The nearest major airport is Dublin (DUB), approximately 30 min by car. EPIC Museum is best reached by car — this is a self-drive destination.

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, Co. Dublin, Ireland

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Heritage

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum

Co. Dublin · 2–2.5 hours

EPIC — The Irish Emigration Museum opened in 2016 in the Victorian vaults beneath the CHQ Building on Custom House Quay, a former bonded warehouse where goods were stored before customs clearance. The museum traces the Irish emigrant experience from the Famine onwards through 20 themed galleries covering flight, identity, culture, influence and legacy. It was named Europe's Leading Tourist Attraction by the World Travel Awards in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

The exhibitions cover the 10 million people who have left Ireland since records began — the Famine, the post-independence decades, the economic migrations of the 1980s and the recent reverse migration as Ireland became prosperous. The diaspora thread runs through sport, music, literature, politics and science: how emigrants shaped the cultures of the United States, Britain, Australia and Argentina.

The building itself is worth noting — the CHQ vaults date from 1820 and their stone arches form the backdrop for several of the galleries. The Genealogy Quarter within EPIC provides research resources for visitors trying to trace Irish ancestry, and a genealogy consultation service operates here. The museum is on the Docklands waterfront, a 10-minute walk from O'Connell Bridge.

Highlights

20 themed galleries on Irish emigration, identity and diaspora — voted Europe's Leading Tourist Attraction three years running
Genealogy Quarter — research resources for tracing Irish ancestry, with consultation services available
Victorian vaults beneath the CHQ Building (1820) — one of Dublin's finest surviving Georgian/Victorian warehouses
The Irish Influence gallery — how emigrants shaped American politics, music, sport and literature
Location on Custom House Quay, a 10-minute walk from O'Connell Bridge in the revitalised Docklands area

Good to know

→The museum takes a full 2 hours if you read everything — allow more time if you're tracing ancestry.
→The Genealogy Quarter is included in the ticket. Bring surnames and counties of origin if you're researching.
→The Custom House itself (free to admire from outside) is one of Dublin's finest Georgian buildings and is 2 minutes away.
→The Famine Memorial (Custom House Quay) is free and is a 2-minute walk from the museum entrance.
→Combo tickets with the Guinness Storehouse are available — better value if doing both on the same trip.

Best Time to Visit

Year-round; an excellent rainy-day option — 20 galleries take 90–120 minutes. Less crowded than Dublin's other major paid attractions. Combine with a walk along the north quays and the Famine Memorial on Custom House Quay.

Getting There

DUBDublin

30 min drive

Common questions

What is the EPIC Irish Emigration Museum?

EPIC tells the story of Irish emigration across 20 themed galleries — covering why people left, where they went, what they contributed, and who they became. It focuses on individuals rather than statistics: specific emigrants, their letters home, and the cultures they shaped in America, Australia, Argentina and beyond. It is housed in the Victorian vaults of the CHQ Building on Custom House Quay.

How much does EPIC cost?

Adult entry is around €16–18 (2025). Book online through GetYourGuide or the museum website — online prices are usually slightly lower than door prices. Combined tickets with the National Vault archives (upstairs in the same building) are available if you want to research your own Irish ancestry.

How long does the EPIC museum take?

Most visitors spend 1.5–2 hours. The 20 galleries are interactive and involve reading, video and audio as well as physical exhibits. There is no café in the museum itself, but several good options within a 5-minute walk on the Custom House Quay. EPIC is a particularly good option for a rainy day in Dublin.

Is EPIC worth visiting if I don't have Irish ancestry?

Yes — the museum is essentially a portrait of how Ireland shaped the modern world through its diaspora. It covers political, cultural and artistic contributions of Irish emigrants across seven centuries. The quality of storytelling and interactive design is high. It was voted Europe's Leading Tourist Attraction several years running.