Last updated on August 6th, 2022 at 06:15 am
Dublin has an impressive list of art galleries for a relatively small city, covering a wide range of art, from masterpieces by Caravaggio and Picasso to modern art to work by up and coming new Irish and International artists.
In this post we share the 7 best art galleries in Dublin.
Map of Galleries
The following map shows the location of every gallery highlighted in this post:
National Gallery of Ireland
Located in the centre of the city close to Merrion Square, the National Gallery of Ireland should be the first port of call for art lovers in the city. The collection includes masterpieces by Vermeer, Goya, Rembrant, Monet, and Picasso.
One of the undoubted highlights of the collection is Caravaggio’s ‘The Taking of Christ’, which had long been considered lost. Due to the misattribution of the painting to a Dutch artist called Gerrit van Honthorst in the 18th century, the painting made its way to Dublin and hung for years in the dining room of a house for Jesuit priests, before being identified as a lost Caravaggio in the 1990’s and donated to the National Gallery of Ireland.
Entry to the permanent exhibition is free.
Location: Merrion Square West, Dublin
Website: https://www.nationalgallery.ie
Dublin City Gallery (The Hugh Lane)
Dublin City Gallery, also known as The Hugh Lane, is a contemporary art gallery located beside the Garden of Remembrance in North Dublin. Opened by the Irish art collector and dealer Hugh Lane in 1908, the gallery is now known for its collection of French art, including works by Manet and Renoir. There is also a reconstruction of Francis Bacon’s studio on show in the gallery.
The gallery is housed in Charlemont House, an 18th century mansion commissioned by the Earl of Charlemont. The set-back, limestone clad mansion was acquired by the Irish government in 1870 and has housed the gallery since 1933.
Entrance to the permanent exhibition is free.
Location: Charlemont House, Parnell Square North, Dublin
Website: http://www.hughlane.ie
Irish Museum of Modern Art
The Irish Museum of Modern Art, also known as IMMA, is the foremost modern art gallery in the country. Housed in a 17th century hospital building, the collection includes work by Louis Le Brocquy, Lucian Freud, Marina Abramovic, and Roy Lichtenstein among others.
In addition to the permanent exhibition, there are a number of temporary exhibitions on display.
Entrance to the museum is free.
Location: Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin
Website: https://imma.ie
The Douglas Hyde Gallery
The Douglas Hyde Gallery is a small contemporary art gallery located on the grounds of Trinity College Dublin in the heart of the city. The gallery consists of two exhibition rooms that show concurrent exhibitions. What it lacks in size it more than makes up for with its ambitious and challenging temporary exhibitions of Irish and International contemporary art.
There is no entrance fee for either of the exhibitions.
Location: Trinity College, Dublin
Website: http://www.douglashydegallery.com
The Molesworth Gallery
The next entry on our list is another contemporary art gallery, the Molesworth Gallery. Established in 1999, the gallery hosts eight solo exhibitions and two curated group exhibitions a year and features work by Irish artists.
The gallery is housed over two floors of a Georgian house on Molesworth Street in the heart of Georgian Dublin.
Entrance to the gallery is free.
Location: 16 Molesworth Street, Dublin
Website: https://molesworthgallery.com
Kerlin Gallery
Since it was established in 1998, the Kerlin Gallery has cemented its reputation as one of the leading contemporary art galleries in the country. Situated on Anne’s Lane, close to the central shopping area of Grafton Street in the centre of the city, the gallery runs a number of concurrent exhibitions. The airy interior of the gallery is the perfect setting for work by up-and-coming and established Irish and international contemporary artists.
Entrance to the gallery is free.
Location: Anne’s Lane, South Anne Street, Dublin
Website: https://www.kerlingallery.com
Kevin Kavanagh Gallery
The final entry on our list is the Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, located on Chancery Lane in the centre of the city. The gallery is known for exhibiting cutting-edge work by new artists from around the globe.
Location: Chancery Lane, Dublin
Website: https://www.kevinkavanagh.ie
