Collage showing Book of Kells Experience Dublin Ireland. Collage showing a digital botanical display, a decorated canon table from the Book of Kells, and the Long Room at Trinity College with its arched ceiling and marble busts.

The Book of Kells Experience and the Long Room at Trinity College Dublin

The Book of Kells was on our list for Dublin based on recommendations from friends, and of course, it promised to show another side of Ireland’s history. The whole experience is set inside Trinity College, one of Dublin’s most famous landmarks, steeped in centuries of scholarship and tradition.

I didn’t know a great deal about it beforehand, but it felt like one of those things you really should find out more about. Anywhere with an old library and an immersive exhibition sounded like our kind of place and we were certainly glad we went.

Now, let me take you along on our journey through the exhibition, the Long Room and finally, the immersive experience.

Disclaimer: When you make a booking or purchase through links on this site, I may earn commission from partners at no extra cost to you. This helps me to build the site and bring you more great posts!

The Book of Kells – Ireland’s Greatest Cultural Treasure

The Book of Kells is an ancient manuscript containing the four Gospels of the New Testament, created by Celtic monks more than 1,200 years ago. It’s written in Latin on vellum, specially prepared calfskin, and decorated with beautifully detailed designs in coloured inks and gold leaf.

Open pages of the Book of Kells on display, featuring a richly coloured illustration of the Virgin and Child on the left and a highly ornate text page on the right with intricate Celtic knotwork, stylised letters, and vivid use of gold, green, and purple pigments.
Zairon, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

It’s thought to have been started by monks on the Scottish island of Iona, before being moved to the Abbey of Kells, now in County Meath, around the 9th century to keep it safe during Viking raids. Despite those turbulent times, it survived remarkably well and has been preserved at Trinity College Dublin since the 1600s.

What makes it so special is the sheer amount of work and care that went into it. Every page is hand-drawn, filled with ornate lettering, spirals and tiny hidden symbols. The pigments used came from as far away as the Mediterranean and the Middle East, which also gives an idea of how far trade and influence reached at the time.

Standing in front of it, a little bit of imagination will let you picture the monks sitting by candlelight, painstakingly copying each word and illustration by hand. More than just a religious text, the Book of Kells is a piece of living history and offers a glimpse into the skill, devotion and creativity of people who lived over a thousand years ago.

Inside the Book of Kells Experience

The exhibition itself was beautifully presented, with physical displays, projected images and enlarged pages showing the remarkable detail in the illustrations. It tells the story of the Book of Kells – how it was created, how it survived through centuries of upheaval and how it came to be one of Ireland’s most treasured artefacts.

  • Wall display featuring a modern artistic interpretation of insular script with elaborate red and blue decorative initials and poetic text about the act of writing, styled to echo medieval manuscript tradition.
  • Display case showing the tools of medieval manuscript production, including sheets of vellum and several feather quills, with a wall text noting the use of calfskins in the making of the Book of Kells.

It explained how the manuscript was made – from preparing the vellum to mixing natural inks and lettering every line by hand – a process that must have taken endless patience and extraordinary skill.

  • Illuminated manuscript page from the Book of Kells featuring a richly decorated initial letter surrounded by stylised figures and intricate Celtic designs, displayed on a lit panel with red framing.
  • Decorative canon table page from the Book of Kells, showcasing elaborate arch motifs, animal illustrations, and columns of carefully penned Latin text in red and black ink.

There were also a few interactive exhibits that made it engaging for younger visitors, bringing the story of the book and the monks who created it to life in a way that was both educational and immersive.

The original Book of Kells was displayed in a glass case, open to one page that’s changed regularly to help preserve it. (Photography is not allowed.)

  • Exhibition display about the Book of Mulling, an 8th-century Irish pocket gospel book, with a large illustrated figure of a saint, explanatory text on its monastic origins, and a glass case containing the ancient manuscript.
  • Vibrant illuminated carpet page from the Book of Kells with symmetrical knotwork, symbolic animals, and geometric patterns in red, purple, and gold hues, accompanied by a panel explaining its historical context.

The Long Room at Trinity College

After seeing the Book of Kells, we moved on to the Long Room, the grand library at the heart of Trinity College. It’s an incredible hall, with 65 metres of arched ceilings, dark wood and shelves lined with thousands of old books, and a sight to behold for any book lovers.

Wide-angle view of the Long Room’s vaulted wooden ceiling and symmetrical rows of marble busts, with a glowing globe of Earth suspended at the far end drawing visitors’ attention.

The library was first built in the early 1700s and a higher roof and upper gallery were added later when more space was needed for new volumes. The room was intended to hold a copy of every title published in the British Isles.

Walking inside it felt like stepping into another time, as the world outside seemed to fade and the distinct scent of old books hung gently in the air. (Don’t you just love the smell of old books?)

Around 200,000 books have been removed from the shelves for conservation as part of the Old Library Redevelopment Project, which aims to preserve them for future generations. Around 16,000 books remain on display – still plenty to give visitors a sense of the scale. I didn’t feel our experience was diminished by the absence of the other books.

  • Ornate black wrought-iron spiral staircase leading to the upper level of the Long Room, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling shelves of historic books and a sign marked “Library staff only.”
  • Towering wooden bookshelves filled with old leather-bound books in the Long Room at Trinity College Library, flanked by marble busts and a tall rolling ladder leaning against the shelves.

Marble busts of great thinkers and writers – Aristotle, Plato, Shakespeare and Swift and many others — line the central aisle and in 2023, four new busts of women were added to honour women’s contribution to scholarship.

At the far end of the hall hangs Gaia, a six-metre art installation by Luke Jerram using detailed NASA imagery to show the Earth floating in 3D. It was a popular feature for visitors taking selfies holding the world in their hands.

Also on display was the Brian Boru Harp, Ireland’s oldest surviving harp and the inspiration for the national emblem, an original copy of the Proclamation of Irish Independence from 1916 and a few ancient books.

  • Display case containing the historic Brian Boru Harp at Trinity College Library, an ornately carved medieval instrument made of oak and willow, showcased with an audio guide panel explaining its origins and significance.
  • Glass-covered display of the 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic, a historic printed document addressed to the people of Ireland, declaring independence and signed by seven leaders of the Easter Rising.
  • Open manuscript on display under glass featuring a hand-drawn and coloured 16th-century map of Ireland, showing regional names and geographical features, with an information card above titled “Copyists / Cóipeálaithe” describing Tudor-era travel and mapping.

We were reluctant to leave this great hall filled with stories but it was time to move on to the next part of our tour.

❇️ Book a guided tour of Book of Kells Experience and Dublin Castle – Click here 🔗

The Pavilion – A Modern Perspective

The next stop was the new interactive exhibition in the outdoor Pavilion and a contrast to the old world we’d left behind. Or was it…

Bright red exterior of the Book of Kells Experience building featuring bold white lettering and a stylised design inspired by illuminated manuscripts, with glass entrance doors and manicured greenery on either side.

My favourite part was the Long Room Conversations with replicas of busts of historical figures like Shakespeare, Eleanor Roosevelt, Socrates and Ada Lovelace. “conversing” about knowledge and creativity while also referencing their own accomplishments and events from their lifetimes.

  • White bust of William Shakespeare displayed in a modern, softly lit niche, labelled with his name at the base in a stylised serif font.
  • Marble busts of Augusta Gregory and Socrates displayed side by side in a dark grey modern exhibit case, each labelled with soft lighting enhancing the sculptural details.

There were also other interactive exhibits projected on the walls, a short film, a digital “flip through” the ‘pages’ of the Book of Kells and the final part – The Long Room Reimagined – an immersive experience using projection and sound.

Immersive digital room with curved ceiling and walls covered in animated botanical and celestial illustrations, part of the Book of Kells Experience, with visitors seated in the exhibit space.

As with most attractions nowadays, you exit through the gift shop but they had a lovely range of gifts like Irish-made stationery, prints and souvenirs inspired by the manuscript’s intricate designs.

Is the Book of Kells Experience Worth Visiting?

Absolutely. Even if you’re not a big history fan, the Book of Kells Experience is one of those things that’s worth taking your time over. Between the story of the manuscript, the atmosphere of the Long Room and the creative touches in The Pavilion, it manages to feel both timeless and fresh at the same time.

It’s one of Dublin’s most popular attractions, so it’s best to book ahead, especially in summer or at weekends. You can find tickets on the official Trinity College website or combined with additional attractions through Get Your Guide and Viator.

Whether you love books, art, history or simply beautiful spaces with a story to tell, this is an experience that stays with you long after you’ve left Dublin.

Wrap-up on Book of Kells Experience and The Long Room Trinity College Dublin

After a busy day exploring Dublin’s streets and historic sites, the Book of Kells Experience was the perfect change of pace and one of the highlights of our time in the city.

It combined everything I enjoy – history, creativity and a glimpse into how people lived and learned centuries ago. My daughter loved the interactive parts and the library and I enjoyed the chance to slow down after a busy day exploring the city and take it all in.

If you’re planning a trip to Dublin, I’d definitely recommend adding it to your list. Whether you go for the art, the atmosphere or simply to see one of Ireland’s greatest treasures up close, this is an experience that gives you a deeper appreciation of the country’s history and imagination.

If you want to combine the Book of Kells Experience and Dublin Castle with a guided tour, book Dublin: Fast-Track Book of Kells Ticket & Dublin Castle Tour. If you only want to visit Book of Kells, book direct at Trinity College.

Curved stone footbridge leading to a historic arched gateway flanked by red-brick and grey-stone buildings, with two people walking beneath the arch on an overcast day.
Entrance to Dublin Castle

Some other options for combined trips are St Patrick’s, Book of Kells, and Dublin Castle Tour and Book of Kells, Dublin Castle and Christ Church Tour

You can read about more of our Dublin adventures – from castles and cathedrals to coastal escapes – in our full Dublin post here.

Or go to these more in-depth posts on our day trips from Dublin:

See Map of accommodation in Dublin to choose where to stay, see prices and book.

Follow on Instagram or Facebook
Read about our trips to Oman
Visit my website on the United Arab Emirates