Visit the Book of Kells Experience at Trinity College Dublin. View the Book of Kells, Long Room and Gaia in the Old Library, and embark on an immersive journey in the new digital exhibition. The Experience takes place in two buildings: the Old Library and Red Pavilion.
Explore Trinity’s Old Library and view the world-famous Book of Kells. 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.
Experience Gaia, the spectacular illuminated artwork by Luke Jerram now on display in the Old Library. Gaia features 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface, showcasing the planet floating in three dimensions as it might be viewed from space. The majority of the books in the Long Room have been removed as part of a landmark conservation project. Learn about this once in a lifetime event.
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.
Venture on an extraordinary immersive voyage in The Book of Kells 360, a spectacular journey in light and sound of the ancient masterpiece’s history.
Caution: The Book of Kells 360 contains imagery and moving video that may cause discomfort for those who are sensitive to light or motion or have epilepsy. Please speak to a member of our team who will be happy to guide you to the next space.
Finally, step into a reimagined Long Room and see both the past and the future through breathtaking digital projections. This awe inspiring reconstruction of the Long Room library chamber is gaining recognition as one of the best things to see in Dublin.
3 min read • 10 October 2024
8 min read • 27 August 2024
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.
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.
Online booking is strongly recommended for the Book of Kells Experience and entry is timed.
Monday – Saturday: 8.30am-7pm
Sunday: 9.30am – 6.30pm
Tickets are non-refundable once purchased.
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.
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.
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.
There are no storage facilities available in the Book of Kells Experience.
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 bookofkells@tcd.ie with your preferred date and time of visit, allowing at least 3 working days’ notice.
Booking is subject to availability.
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