Image of Gaia in the Long Room in the Old Library
Image of Gaia in the Long Room from the upper gallery

Experience
the

  • wonder
  • history
  • future
  • journey
  • stories
The Book of Kells Experience logo in white

Don’t miss the chance to see the Book of Kells in person, marvel at our world famous Old Library and immerse yourself in history through our Book of Kells Experience.

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From €26 per person

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Four people looking at the digital exhibition

Trinity Trails & Book of Kells Experience

Bundle ticket
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Trinity Trails & Book of Kells Experience

Add on Trinity Trails, the official guided walking tour of Trinity College Dublin. Led by our expert student tour guides, enjoy a 45 min English language guided tour before your Book of Kells Experience visit. Rated Five Stars by visitors.

  From €33.50
  120 mins

View of Gaia in the Long Room from the upper floor in the Old Library

Book of Kells Experience

Self guided
Two buildings
Limited availability
Free audio guide

Book of Kells Experience

Experience the wonder of Ireland’s greatest cultural treasure. Includes entry to the Old Library and the digital exhibition in the Red Pavilion.

  From €26
  90 mins

Gaia - detailed NASA imagery of the Earth's surface, showcasing the planet floating in three dimensions as it might be viewed from space - on display in the Long Room in the Old Library

Trinity Trails & Old Library

Bundle ticket
Award winning

Trinity Trails & Old Library

Add on Trinity Trails, the official guided walking tour of Trinity College Dublin. Led by our expert student tour guides, enjoy a 45 min English language guided tour before your Old Library visit. Kindly note this does not include access to the digital exhibition in the Red Pavilion.

  From €31
  90 mins

Image of bookshelves in the Long Room

Book of Kells & Old Library

Last minute access
Limited availability
Very popular
Free audio guide

Book of Kells & Old Library

Entry to the Book of Kells and Long Room in the Old Library. Kindly note this does not include access to the digital exhibition in the Red Pavilion.

  From €19
  45 mins

Pages on
display

Discover the intricate symbolism and artistry in Book of Kells.
Gospel of Mark, folios 185 – 186r.
The pages of the Book of Kells are turned once every six weeks.
The pages currently on view are from the Gospel of Mark
Learn More

What you’ll see

Chapter 1: The Old Library, The Book of Kells and Gaia

Explore Trinity’s Old Library, view the world-famous Book of Kells and marvel at Gaia. Learn about the symbolism and artistry of the 1,200-year-old manuscript and get a close-up look at the current pages on display. Listen to our free audio guide to hear from Trinity experts throughout your visit.

Chapter 1: The Old Library, The Book of Kells and Gaia

Explore Trinity’s Old Library, view the world-famous Book of Kells and marvel at Gaia. Learn about the symbolism and artistry of the 1,200-year-old manuscript and get a close-up look at the current pages on display. Listen to our free audio guide to hear from Trinity experts throughout your visit.
White statues along the aisles in the old library

The Old Library

The Long Room, often hailed as one of the world’s most beautiful libraries and affectionately known as “Ireland’s front room,” is a marvel to behold. Stepping into its grand chamber is an awe-inspiring experience, now made even more striking by the stunning Gaia installation.

The Book of Kells

Experience Ireland’s greatest cultural treasure like never before. In the Old Library, experience the wonder of the Book of Kells, and marvel at the Long Room, considered to be one of the world’s most beautiful libraries.

Chapter 2: The Red Pavilion Digital Exhibitions & Gift Shop

Venture on an extraordinary voyage through the Secret Life of the Collections, The Book of Kells 360 and The Long Room Reimagined – three immersive digital exhibitions that ensure your visit will be a memorable one.

Chapter 2: The Red Pavilion Digital Exhibitions & Gift Shop

Venture on an extraordinary voyage through the Secret Life of the Collections, The Book of Kells 360 and The Long Room Reimagined – three immersive digital exhibitions that ensure your visit will be a memorable one.
The new Book of Kells Experience in the Red Pavillion

The Red Pavilion

Our second building in The Book of Kells Experience, and home to three enchanting, immersive digital exhibitions. The Book of Kells Experience gift shop can also be found here, full of souvenirs so you can take a piece of your visit home with you.
Two women sitting on a bench taking photos and admiring the Secret Life of the Collections

Secret Life of the Collections

Enter the Secret Life of the Collections, where you’ll be enchanted as stories and artifacts come to life before your eyes. Interact with spirited sculptures including Ada Lovelace, Jonathan Swift and Rosalind Franklin.

Reviews

Graphic image of a trophy in gold

Visitor favourite

One of the most loved walking tours in Europe, according to visitors

4.93

3,204

Reviews

Plan your visit

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Opening hours

Monday: 8:30 am – 7:00 pm
Tuesday – Wednesday: 8:30 am – 6:30 pm
Thursday – Saturday: 8:30 am – 7:00 pm
Sunday: 9:00 am – 6:30 pm

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Ticket policies, groups, discounts

Online booking is strongly recommended for the Book of Kells Experience and entry is timed.

Tickets are non-refundable once purchased.

Concession tickets are available for senior citizens and students. Students are required to present a valid student card upon entry.

Primary-Secondary teachers: please contact bookofkells@tcd.ie for more information.

Educational groups: please book at the group rate on our website.

Trinity students and staff are welcome to visit the Book of Kells Experience free of charge and they can bring up to 2 guests.

Pre-booking is essential. Each student/staff member must book a ticket for themselves and separate tickets for every guest they bring. For example, if a student/staff wants to bring 2 guests then they must book 3 tickets.

Type your Trinity student or staff number into the promo code box at checkout.

Complimentary tickets are limited. If a time slot is not available, please try another.

Please note that there is a maximum number of complimentary tickets that each student and staff members can avail of in a given academic year.

Trinity alumni are welcome to visit the Book of Kells of Kells Experience free of charge and they can bring up to 2 guests. Pre-booking is essential.

To book please email bookofkellsexperience@tcd.ie with your preferred date and time of visit, allowing at least 3 working days’ notice.

Booking is subject to availability.

About the tour

Your visitor experience starts at the Old Library building.

Firstly, you will enter the Old Library, where you will view the Book of Kells and explore the Long Room.

Afterwards, you will head to the Pavilion building to embark on a digital journey through the Old Library’s precious collections.

The Pavilion is located less than 1 minute’s walk from the Old Library.

Your experience ends at the gift shop located at the end of the Pavilion.

We recommend allowing an hour and a half for your entire visitor experience from start to finish.

There is an audio guide available in English, Irish, German, Italian, Spanish, French, Mandarin, Dutch, Portuguese, Cantonese, Japanese, Russian and Ukrainian.

The audio guide can be accessed via a QR on-site at the beginning of the exhibit, or via the link below.

Open Audio Guide

All books from the Long Room have been removed as part of the historic Old Library Redevelopment Project, with the exception of the first four bays as you enter the space.

We recommend allowing yourself 90 minutes to take in the full visitor experience.

Non-flash photography is allowed for personal and non-commercial purposes throughout the Experience. Photography in the Treasury where the Book of Kells is housed is forbidden due to the sensitive nature of the manuscript. Tripods are not permitted. It is the visitor’s responsibility to ensure no copyright is infringed.

Accessibility and facilities

Accessibility Guide

There are no toilets in the Old Library, however there are toilets available towards the end of your experience. Please ask a member of our team to direct you to the toilets if you need to use the facilities during your visitor experience.

The Old Library is fully wheelchair accessible. On arrival, please speak to one of our staff members who will arrange for a Library Guard to assist you in using our elevator and accessing all areas of the exhibition. The Pavilion is also fully wheelchair accessible and is located on one ground floor.

There are no storage facilities available in the Book of Kells Experience.

Why visit?

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