Quick answer: On a wet day in Dublin, go for the free National Museum of Ireland on Kildare Street and the National Gallery. Then pick one or two paid favourites: the Book of Kells, the Little Museum of Dublin, EPIC or the Guinness Storehouse. Finish the day at a trad session in a snug pub. One warning first: Dublin Castle and the Chester Beatty are closed for the rest of 2026, so don’t build your day around them.
Ah, Dublin! Sure, you didn’t come for the sunshine. The rain here is less a forecast than a personality trait, and the city is packed with places to shelter from it. Here are 15 of the best indoor things to do, a mix of free and paid, with prices and opening hours checked for October 2026.
Before You Go: What’s Closed in 2026
A few old reliables are shut this year, so check this list before you make plans:
- Dublin Castle: The whole Castle campus closed to the public on 15 June 2026 while it hosts events for Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU. Heritage Ireland says it hopes to welcome visitors back in January 2027.
- Chester Beatty: This museum sits inside the Castle grounds and is closed from 15 June to the end of December 2026.
- Natural History Museum (“the Dead Zoo”), Merrion Street: Closed for refurbishment. Some of its best specimens are now in the Dead Zoo Lab at Collins Barracks (see #3).
- Hugh Lane Gallery: Closed since 28 September 2025 for a refurbishment expected to last at least three years. In the meantime, the National Gallery is showing highlights from its collection (see #2).
Free Rainy-Day Favourites
1. National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology (Kildare Street)
This is Ireland’s national treasure chest of archaeology, from prehistoric gold to the Viking age, in the heart of the city. Admission is free. It’s open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm, and Sunday and Monday from 1pm to 5pm. The museum suggests arriving by 4.30pm so you can see it properly. On the last Thursday of every month it also opens late with special evening events.
2. National Gallery of Ireland
Centuries of Irish and European art, and plenty of room to drip-dry. The permanent collection is free, though some temporary exhibitions charge. Hours are Monday 11am–5.30pm, Tuesday to Saturday 9.15am–5.30pm (open late until 8.30pm on Thursdays) and Sunday 11am–5.30pm. With the Hugh Lane closed, Rooms 47 and 48 are showing highlights from its collection, also free. Hilma af Klint: Artist and Visionary runs from 15 October 2026 to 7 February 2027.
3. Collins Barracks and the Dead Zoo Lab
The National Museum’s Collins Barracks site in Dublin 7 covers decorative arts and history. It’s also where you’ll now find the Dead Zoo Lab, which shows about 1,300 natural history specimens, including Blaschka glass models of sea creatures, while the Merrion Street museum is closed. It’s free, and only groups need to book.
4. A Trad Session at The Cobblestone, Smithfield
Getting in costs nothing. The pints, of course, do not. The Cobblestone on King Street North has traditional music sessions every day: from 6.30pm on Mondays, 4.30pm Tuesday to Thursday, 2pm on Fridays and 2.30pm at weekends. A few things to know: it doesn’t serve food, it doesn’t take table reservations, and under-18s must leave by 9pm. Grab a stool and let the jigs and reels warm you up.
Paid Attractions Worth Every Cent
5. The Book of Kells and the Old Library, Trinity College
Tickets for the Book of Kells and the Long Room start from €19. The full Book of Kells Experience, which adds the digital exhibitions in the Red Pavilion, starts from €25. Entry is timed and booking online is strongly recommended. Hours are Monday to Thursday 8.30am–6.30pm, Friday and Saturday 8.30am–7pm, and Sunday 9am–6.30pm. One heads-up: because of the Old Library Redevelopment Project, nearly all the books have been taken out of the Long Room, apart from the first four bays. It’s still magnificent. Read more in our Trinity College Dublin guide.
6. The Little Museum of Dublin
This is the city’s story told in a Georgian townhouse on St Stephen’s Green, through a famous 29-minute guided tour full of wit, from Queen Victoria’s visit to U2. Tickets are €18, or €16 for seniors and students, and families pay €45. It’s open every day from 9.30am to 5pm (last entry 4.30pm), and you can only go in on a guided tour, so book ahead. A handy perk: a DoDublin hop-on hop-off ticket gets you in free, though you can’t book ahead with it.
7. EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum
EPIC is fully interactive, in the CHQ building on Custom House Quay, and tells the stories of the millions who left Ireland. Adult tickets are €22 online (€24 on the day), and booking 30 days ahead gets you 20% off. Every ticket includes a free return visit within 10 days, which is handy if the rain keeps up. It’s open daily from 10am to 6.45pm, with last entry at 5pm. From 26 October to 1 November 2026, it runs Halloween-themed tours.
8. GPO Museum (formerly GPO Witness History)
See the 1916 Easter Rising told inside the building where it happened, on O’Connell Street. Online tickets cost €15 for adults and €40 for a family of two adults and two children. Walk-up prices are higher (€17 for adults). It’s open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm, with last admission at 4pm, and closed on Sundays and public holidays.
9. Kilmainham Gaol
This is one of the most moving places in Ireland. Entry is €8 for adults, €20 for families, and free for under-12s, though they still need a ticket. You can only visit on a guided tour and booking online in advance is essential. The OPW warns that only kilmainhamgaolmuseum.ie sells valid tickets. Allow 90 minutes. Bring a coat, because part of the tour is outdoors and the inside of the gaol is very cold in winter.
10. MoLI – Museum of Literature Ireland
Joyce, Wilde, Binchy and friends live in a lovely house on St Stephen’s Green with a hidden garden. Its treasures include Copy No. 1 of Ulysses. Admission is from €16.50 and guided tours are €18. It’s open every day from 10am to 5pm (last admission 4pm). Its café is a grand spot to wait out a shower.
Pints, Drams and Distilleries
11. Guinness Storehouse
Explore seven floors of stout history, then finish with a pint in the Gravity Bar, where the views over the city look especially moody under rain clouds. Tickets are from €24 with dynamic pricing, so busy time slots cost more. The Guinness Academy add-on, where you learn to pour your own pint, is from €36. See our Guinness Storehouse guide or book Guinness Storehouse tickets here.
12. Jameson Distillery Bow St.
The flagship tour runs from €26, lasts 45 minutes and is fully guided. It includes a tasting of three Jameson whiskeys and a signature cocktail. If you don’t drink, there’s a non-alcoholic ticket for €15. Children under 12 go free, and those 12 and over pay €12. It’s a short dash from The Cobblestone, so the two pair nicely. More in our Jameson whiskey tour guide.
13. Irish Whiskey Museum
Beside Trinity College at 119 Grafton Street, this museum isn’t tied to any whiskey brand. The one-hour guided Classic Tour includes three tastings and is advertised from €25 per person, though the ticket table lists adults at €23. Tours run from 10.30am, with the last one at 6pm. If you’d rather have something hot, try the Irish Coffee Masterclass.
14. Pearse Lyons Distillery
This working distillery sits inside the restored St James’ Church on James’s Street, about five minutes’ walk from the Guinness Storehouse. The tour takes about an hour, runs every hour from 11am (12pm on Sundays) until the last tour at 5pm, and ends with a tasting of three to five whiskeys. Children under 10 go free and those aged 11–17 pay €10. Part of the tour is outside in the graveyard, so bring a brolly. Book the Pearse Lyons Legacy Tour.
15. Roe & Co Distillery
Roe & Co is a whiskey distillery in the Liberties, and its Power House Bar is one of Dublin’s best-kept secrets. A good rainy-afternoon combination is the Guinness Storehouse’s own combo ticket, which pairs the Storehouse with a whiskey cocktail workshop at Roe & Co from €49. Details are in our Roe & Co Flavours Experience guide.
Three Easy Rainy-Day Routes
- Southside, short walks between stops: Book of Kells → National Museum (Kildare St) → National Gallery → Little Museum or MoLI on St Stephen’s Green.
- The Liberties: Guinness Storehouse → Pearse Lyons → Roe & Co, with Kilmainham Gaol (3.5km from the centre) if you’ve booked a time slot.
- Northside and Smithfield: GPO Museum → Collins Barracks and the Dead Zoo Lab → Jameson Bow St. → a session at The Cobblestone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best free indoor things to do in Dublin when it rains?
The National Museum of Ireland on Kildare Street, the National Gallery’s permanent collection and Collins Barracks with the Dead Zoo Lab are all free. The Cobblestone’s daily trad sessions are free to walk into too, but you’ll want to buy a drink.
Is Dublin Castle open in 2026?
No. The Castle campus closed to the public on 15 June 2026 for Ireland’s EU Presidency, and Heritage Ireland expects to reopen it in January 2027. The Chester Beatty, which is in the Castle grounds, is closed until the end of December 2026.
Is the Natural History Museum (Dead Zoo) open?
The Merrion Street building is closed for refurbishment. About 1,300 specimens are on show for free at the Dead Zoo Lab in Collins Barracks, Dublin 7.
Can I still see the Long Room at Trinity College?
Yes. The Book of Kells and the Long Room are open, but almost all the books have been removed during the Old Library Redevelopment Project. Only the first four bays near the entrance still have books on the shelves.
Do I need to book rainy-day attractions in advance?
For Kilmainham Gaol, booking is essential. For the Book of Kells, the Little Museum and the distilleries, it’s strongly recommended. On a wet day, everyone else has the same idea as you.
Make the Most of a Soft Day
Rain or shine, Dublin delivers. Browse more Dublin city visitor attractions to book ahead. And if the skies clear, a day trip is never a bad idea. Sláinte!
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