Opening on Friday the 21st of October, The Little Museum of Dublin tells the story of Ireland's capital city in the 20th Century.
The Little Museum of Dublin will be formally opened by the Lord Mayor, Councillor Andrew Montague. Director of the museum says "This is a very exciting day for Dublin... All great cities have a museum that documents their history, and now – at last – Dublin is no exception."
This new museum (it's non - profit, btw) is housed in a spectacular Georgian mansion at 15 St Stephen's Green. Over 400 Dubliners have donated artefacts for the collection over the past few months which as the Museum founders themselves are saying is down to the generosity of ordinary Dubliners as well as many cultural institutions and local luminaries. The collection will chronicle the social, cultural and political history of the capital in the 20th Century. Among the highlights are the lectern that JFK used to address the Oireachtas in 1963; the first English edition of Ulysses; the original Wanderly Wagon that was used for the flying scenes in the famous TV programme; James Joyce’s death mask; the menu from Jammet’s restaurant; and a postcard from George Bernard Shaw.
At the heart of the collection is the social, cultural and political history of Dublin. Their hope is that the collection will appeal to locals as well as tourists. There are simple artefacts that encourage contemplation of the past, alongside the more famous items noted above.
The goal of The Little Dublin Museum is not to sell an ideology but simply to remember the past.
