The most impressive of the four sites that collectively make up the National Museum of Ireland, this excellent museum is devoted to the ancient history of Ireland and beyond—from the Stone Age up to the Early Modern period. Highlights include a stunning collection of Viking artifacts from the archaeological digs that took place in Dublin from the 1960s to the early 1980s—a haul so important that in one fell swoop the history of Viking settlement in Ireland was rewritten. There is also an enormous range of Bronze Age gold and metalwork, as well as iconic Christian treasures from the Dark Ages, including the Ardagh Chalice, the Moylough Belt Shrine, and the Tara Brooch. It’s not just the relics of ancient Irish people that can be seen here—there are also four “bog bodies,” human beings whose remains were naturally preserved in bogs, sometime between 400 and 200 B.C. Other notable artifacts include Ralaghan Man, a carved wooden Bronze Age statue from County Cavan; a collection of 2nd-century Roman figurines and homewares; and an extraordinary granite table made in Egypt circa 1870 B.C.