Trinity College

A beautiful, grand, romantic place to wander around, the Trinity campus is open free of charge to the public year-round. No trip to Dublin is complete without spending at least a little while on the college grounds. Here are a few highlights. 

Trinity’s most striking and famous monument, the white Campanile, or bell tower, grabs your attention as soon as you enter through the main archway. Dating from the mid-19th century, it stands on the site of the college’s original foundations, from 300 years earlier.

Built in the 18th century to a design by Thomas Burgh, the neoclassical Old Library Building is the only building on campus you have to pay to see. It’s where you’ll find the Book of Kells and the library’s magnificent Long Room—both of which are unmissable.

Home to the geography and geology departments, the Museum Building is one of Trinity’s hidden gems. Built in the mid-19th century, it has Byzantine and Moorish influences. Walk through and look up to the glorious domed ceiling and the green marbled banisters.

Set between these two architectural masterpieces, the stark 1967 Berkeley Library Building sharply divides opinion with its austere modernism. Designer Paul Koralek’s library honors Bishop George Berkeley, famed for his philosophical theory of “immaterialism” (things that can’t be proven cannot exist), which went against the theories of both Isaac Newton and the Catholic Church. The gleaming sculpture outside the library is Sphere with Sphere by Arnaldo Pomodoro (1983).

Also facing the Old Library across Fellows Square, the 1970s Arts Building includes the Douglas Hyde Gallery, which displays a regularly changing program of modern art. Exhibitions switch out about every 3 months and admission is always free.

Tucked away in the far northeastern corner of the campus, the excellent Science Gallery is a combination art space, science museum, and debating forum, with fun and thought-provoking exhibitions, workshops, public lectures, and even shows. Entry is free, except to certain special events. See www.sciencegallery.com for more details.

One of the more benign remnants of English rule, the College Park Cricket Pitch is a small park where you’ll often find a cricket match in progress on summer weekends. The sport is notoriously arcane for the uninitiated—but everyone can enjoy the picturesque sight of the players in their white uniforms.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.