Described as ‘an accomplished exercise in Victorian Palladianism’, this late 19th Century building has an 18m high entrance with classical columns of Irish marble. The hall opens onto a great central court, around which are exhibition rooms and a gallery. Over 2million objects unearth Irish history from the prehistoric to late medieval periods, with highlights including Iron Age bog bodies, Ancient Egypt and Viking artefacts and one of Western Europe's largest collections of prehistoric goldwork. Particularly worth seeking out are the Tara Brooch (c.700AD) and Ardagh Chalice (c.800-900AD), two of Ireland's most ornate and significant national treasures.