Natural History Museum to close for extensive building conservation works

The Natural History Museum in Dublin is set to close to the public later this year as extensive renovation and conservation works are carried out on the building.

The 'Dead Zoo' is housed in an 1856 Victorian building on Merrion Street in Dublin 2, which will undergo works to protect the structure and address accessibility issues.

The museum previously closed in 2020 to allow for the exhibition to be altered, and for the installation of an internal platform structure.

The internal platform is currently protecting the building and its contents, and enabled investigative works to be carried out on the roof, as well as allowing for the overall scope of the project to be determined.

National Museum of Ireland - Natural History aka the Dead Zoo will close to facilitate extensive works required to protect and conserve the 168-year-old ‘Dead Zoo’ for future generations #DeadZooDiary https://t.co/yjoMZ3mjdv pic.twitter.com/zaAwfeIZ36

— National Museum of Ireland (@NMIreland) June 14, 2024

Upon reopening in 2022, only the ground floor of the museum remained open to the public.

The museum will close from September 2nd, when the process of wrapping and removing approximately 10,000 specimens will begin, followed by the design and planning stages of the works, which will be carried out by architects Fitzgerald Kavanagh & Partners.

During the closure of the building on Merrion Street, a temporary 'Dead Zoo Lab' will be installed at the Riding School at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks next spring.

In a statement, the museum added: "The full programme of works, duration and total cost of the project will be determined by the investigative works and design phase."

Up to September 2nd, the Natural History Museum remains open seven days a week, with free admission.