Visit the Book of Kells and Old Library and experience the history like never before
9 min read • 19 September 2024
9 min read • 27 August 2024
6 min read • 17 January 2025
The Old Library’s collections, spanning millennia, have been in our care for over 400 years. The Library now faces conservation challenges from pollution and dust accumulation.
There is also an urgent need to improve fire protection and environmental controls. This once-in-a-lifetime event is called the Old Library Redevelopment Project.
The project is applying 21st century design and technology safeguards to protect the Old Library’s precious collections for future generations.
As part of this, the majority of the books have been temporarily removed from the Old Library’s shelves. One by one, each book has been cleaned with a specialised vacuum, measured, electronically tagged and linked to a catalogue record, before being safely relocated to a climate-controlled storage facility.
Once the redevelopment project has been completed, the collections will be returned to the Library shelves.
In this blog, I will share behind the scenes knowledge on the redevelopment of the Old Library, with an outline on everything you can now see on a visit to the Book of Kells Experience.
The Old Library was built between 1712 and 1732, and has been in operation for almost 300 years. It is one of the world’s greatest working libraries, with special importance in Ireland’s academic and cultural life.
The Long Room shelves house over 200,000 books spanning millennia, while the Old Library’s extended collection includes 700,000 items, such as ancient manuscripts, books, pamphlets, and archival papers.
The Old Library Redevelopment Project will use modern design and technology to protect the Old Library building and conserve these precious collections.
Listen to an audio guide track on the Old Library Redevelopment Project here:
As part of the Old Library Redevelopment Project, the majority of the Old Library’s collections have been ‘decanted’, which means they have been carefully removed from the building.
There are 5 key stages to the decant:
Listen to an audio guide track on the decant here:
A visit to the Old Library is truly one of the most unique things to experience in Dublin. Access to the Old Library is included in tickets to the Book of Kells Experience.
Visitor highlights include:
The books have been temporarily removed from the Old Library as part of a major restoration and conservation project, the Old Library Redevelopment Project.
As part of the Old Library Redevelopment Project, a historic landmark conservation project, the majority of the books in the Long Room have been temporarily removed. The Old Library remains open to visitors during this time, and the Book of Kells is on display.
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.
This once in a lifetime event is called the Old Library Redevelopment Project.
The Old Library Redevelopment Project draws on the best 21st century design and technology to safeguard the 18th century building and conserve its precious collections for future generations.
The Old Library remains open to visitors during this time, and the Book of Kells remains on display.
The Book of Kells will remain on display to visitors throughout the Old Library Redevelopment Project.
The Old Library remains open to visitors during this time.
The Old Library remains open to visitors during this time, and the Book of Kells is on display, alongside an exciting new exhibition in New Square: the Book of Kells Experience.
Yes, the collections can be accessed online through the Virtual Trinity Library
Visit the Book of Kells and Old Library and experience the history like never before
9 min read • 19 September 2024
9 min read • 27 August 2024
6 min read • 17 January 2025