Famous Dublin Libraries: How the Long Room in Trinity Stacks Up

Image of a woman standing in front of the Gaia display, admiring the surroundings in the Long Room

It’s no secret that Ireland loves its libraries and literature. The best-known libraries in Dublin are not just beautiful spaces, they’re living collections that help shape Ireland’s cultural identity.

What Makes a Library Famous in the Land of Literature?

Five hallmarks of a “famous library” in Dublin:

Age & continuity: Surviving centuries of scholarship and civic life.
Architectural drama: Vaulted ceilings, galleries, and reading rooms steeped in atmosphere.
Significance of collections: Manuscripts, first editions, archives and national treasures.
Cultural impact: Links to Irish writers, from Swift to Joyce, to Lady Gregory, whose work helped shape Ireland’s literary identity.
Visitor access & experience: Open doors for visitor exploration, tours and exhibitions.

The Must-See: The Long Room in the Old Library at Trinity College Dublin

No Dublin library is more instantly recognisable than the Long Room in the Old Library at Trinity College Dublin. This 18th-century masterpiece is a 65-metre-long hall lined with marble sculptures of famous scholars, ancient volumes and soaring oak shelves beneath a graceful barrel-vaulted ceiling.

For over 300 years, it has been at the heart of Ireland’s library history, traditionally holding more than 200,000 of the university’s earliest and precious collections, works that trace the birth of modern scholarship.

A large globe displayed in the Long Room of the Old Library, with empty bookshelves and marble busts in the background. — The Long Room in the Old Library, Trinity College Dublin.

What you’ll see when you visit today

All books from the Long Room have currently been removed from the bookshelves for conservation as part of the historic Old Library Redevelopment Project. As you enter the space, the first four bays have been left intact with books so visitors can experience how the Long Room would typically appear.

The Old Library’s precious collections, spanning millennia, have been in our care for over 400 years. The Library now faces conservation challenges with pollution and dust accumulation taking their toll, and an urgent need to improve fire protection and environmental controls. The Old Library Redevelopment Project is a once-in-a-century landmark conservation project to safeguard the 18th century building and conserve its precious collections for future generations.

The Long Room remains one of the most atmospheric and breathtaking places to visit in Dublin. As part of the Book of Kells Experience, visitors step into the Long Room and are surrounded by immersive storytelling and treasures such as the Brian Boru Harp and the striking Gaia installation suspended from the vaulted ceiling. It’s a rare chance to appreciate the architecture, history and soul of the majestic Long Room.

Brian Boru's harp in the Long Room — The Brian Boru harp in the Long Room in the Old Library.

Five More Famous Dublin Libraries to Explore

Marsh’s Library (St Patrick’s Close)

Ireland’s first public library (1707) and a time capsule of Enlightenment learning. Its oak-panelled galleries and book cages sit beside St Patrick’s Cathedral, creating an atmosphere untouched for centuries. Visit marshlibrary.ie for details.

Marsh’s Library, Tim Tregenza, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

National Library of Ireland (Kildare Street)

A national treasure with a domed reading room, the National Library of Ireland (NLI) preserves millions of Irish manuscripts, photographs and newspapers. Don’t miss the exhibitions on Yeats, women’s history and Irish life. Visit nli.ie.

Chester Beatty (Dublin Castle)

Set within Dublin Castle, the Chester Beatty is one of the world’s great collections of manuscripts, miniature paintings and sacred texts. The Arts of the Book gallery celebrates writing traditions from Egypt to East Asia. Visit chesterbeatty.ie.

Chester Beatty Library, Pierre Tribhou, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons.

Dublin City Library & Archive (Pearse Street)

Housed in a classic red-brick Carnegie building, this Dublin library preserves civic archives, maps and family history resources, ideal for genealogy enthusiasts. Visit dublincity.ie.

Dublin City Library, Dublin City Public Libraries, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

DLR LexIcon (Dun Laoghaire)

Ireland’s largest public library, the dlr LexIcon, brings contemporary design to Dún Laoghaire’s seafront. Panoramic views of Dublin Bay, exhibition galleries and cafés make it a must-see coastal stop, easily reached by the DART. Visit libraries.dlrcoco.ie.

DLR LexIcon, William Murphy, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons.

A City of Libraries, Centuries in the Making

Dublin’s libraries tell the story of the city itself, from the early Enlightenment to today’s design-led spaces by the sea. At the centre stands Trinity College Dublin, where the Long Room in the Old Library continues to inspire every visitor who walks beneath its famous soaring vaulted ceiling.

Begin your Dublin literary journey where Ireland’s history and heritage lives and breathes – at Trinity.

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FAQS

Trinity College Dublin’s Old Library. The Long Room is widely regarded as the most famous library in Dublin and one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. Its 18th-century architecture, marble sculptures and incredible history make it a must-see. Visitors can see the Long Room as part of the Book of Kells Experience.

Book your visit now

Yes. The Long Room remains open to visitors. As part of the Old Library Redevelopment Project, all books have been removed for conservation except for the first four bays as you enter. In these first four bays alone there are 16,000 books.

You can enter the historic campus of Trinity College Dublin for free, but access to the heritage spaces such as the Old Library, Long Room and The Book of Kells are part of a ticketed experience. Check out the Book of Kells Experience for information on booking and pricing.

Entry varies by venue. Trinity’s Old Library and the Long Room are part of a Book of Kells Experience ticket. Always check each library’s official site for up-to-date information.

Allow at least an hour to explore the Book of Kells and the Long Room exhibits at a relaxed pace.

No, the Trinity College library in Dublin was not used for filming Harry Potter. The Hogwarts library scenes were set in the Bodleian Library at Oxford University.

Many visitors notice the resemblance between the Jedi Archives and the Old Library’s Long Room, with its soaring shelves and vaulted ceiling. Lucasfilm has said there was no direct influence, but the similarities continue to spark curiosity.