EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum — Dublin, Summer 2026

Housed in the barrel-vaulted brick tunnels beneath the 1820s CHQ Building on Custom House Quay, EPIC tells the story of the 10 million people who left Ireland over the centuries and the mark they left on the wider world — in music, politics, science, sport, food and revolution. There are no original artefacts here; instead it is an entirely digital, interactive experience, and one of the few museums built from the ground up for the touchscreen age. It has been named Europe's Leading Tourist Attraction at the World Travel Awards more than once, and it earns the billing.

What to see

Visitors follow a self-guided route through 20 themed galleries, collecting stamps in a free souvenir "passport" as they go, just as emigrants once had their papers stamped. Rooms explore why people left — famine, poverty, persecution, ambition — and where they ended up, from the tenements of New York to the goldfields of Australia. Interactive tables let you trace individual emigrant stories, hear the accents of the diaspora, and meet the Irish-descended figures who changed history, from designers and outlaws to presidents. The neighbouring Irish Family History Centre lets those with Irish roots dig into their own genealogy.

Know before you go

Allow about 90 minutes to two hours to do it justice. Entry is by timed self-guided ticket and can be booked online, with a 20% discount for tickets bought 30 or more days ahead, and a cheaper late-afternoon "Super Saver" slot. The CHQ Building sits on the north bank of the Liffey, an easy walk from the city centre and next door to the Jeanie Johnston famine-ship replica, which pairs well with a visit.