Take a journey across continents, countries and peoples, as you discover treasures of rare quality and beauty from across the globe. This world renowned, award winning museum showcases rich and diverse exhibitions of miniature paintings, decorative arts, manuscripts, prints and drawings, from Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. All pieces were donated to the Irish nation by American mining magnate and philanthropist, Sir Alfred Chester Beatty (1875-1968).
Described by Lonely Planet as ‘not just the best museum in Ireland but one of the best in Europe’, and the only Irish museum to ever win European Museum of the Year, the Chester Beatty’s extraordinary collections span centuries, continents and cultures and offer visitors a fascinating view of global artistic heritage.
An engaging and welcoming space, visitors from Ireland and overseas can enjoy thought-provoking exhibitions, browse in the Gift Shop, or take a rest-stop in the Silk Road Café serving Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine.
No pre-booking is required to visit Chester Beatty. Visitors can download a free audio tour in 13 languages (English, Irish, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Polish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Arabic, Turkish and Dutch) to self-guide through their visit. Free guided tours are available on select dates and need to be pre-booked.
- Qigong at the Rooftop Garden
WinterQigong at the Rooftop Garden Qigong is a traditional Chinese form of meditation, co-ordinating slow movement, deep rhythmic breathing and a calm state of mind.
- DCC Culture Club Tour: Highlights of the Chester Beatty
WinterDCC Culture Club Tour: Highlights of the Chester Beatty Join tour guide Tom O’Regan and discover the origins of the Chester Beatty while learning about the fascinating treasures held in the museum’s extensive collections.
- Silk Road Families Drop-in: Snake Netsuke
WinterSilk Road Families Drop-in: Snake Netsuke Welcome in the Year of the Snake! Join Chester Beatty to create your own hand-held sculpture and draw zodiac animals.
- Sound Bath Meditation with Sarah Douglas
WinterSound Bath Meditation with Sarah Douglas Join in at Chester Beatty with a Sound Bath Meditation session led by Sarah Douglas on Saturday 11 January 2025.
- Conversations on Art: Dementia-inclusive Tour
WinterConversations on Art: Dementia-inclusive Tour Enjoy an afternoon of conversations on art and a tour of our beautiful collections designed for people living with dementia and their loved ones.
- Friends Film: Tokyo Story
WinterFriends Film: Tokyo Story Experience a classic of Japanese cinema on the Chester Beatty screen on Thursday 16 January 2025. An aging couple visit their grown children in bustling postwar Tokyo but struggle to understand the emotional distance now growing between them.
- Turais i nGaeilge (Highlights tour in Irish) at Chester Beatty
WinterTurais i nGaeilge (Highlights tour in Irish) at Chester Beatty Join Chester Beatty for a free tour exploring some of the highlights and stories in their collection.
- Drop-in Drawing with Roxana Manouchehri
WinterDrop-in Drawing with Roxana Manouchehri Join a free drop-in art drawing activity at Chester Beatty, Dublin with artist Roxana Manouchehri this January.
Enjoy a yoga or Qigong class on the lovely rooftop.
