The National Print Museum is a small museum dedicated to promoting the historical significance and contemporary relevance of printing. The museum is set out to replicate a printing workshop with composing, printing and finishing areas. The permanent collection includes printing machinery and artefacts. This isn’t sounding like the most toddler-baiting of days out so far.  But wait, website notes family-friendly tours are available and there’s a kids education area. Also, there was an exhibition I wanted to see so the boy was duly dragged along and I hoped for the best.

Our visit

My trusty friend Google maps reliably informed me that I could reach the museum on foot in around 50 minutes, versus 45 minutes or so by bus. I elected to walk, and even though the weather was a bit drizzly, it was quite pleasant to walk along the canals and uncover another section of my mental map of Dublin. We arrived just before midday, and a tour was just about to start so I opted to join that on the assumption I would learn more than I would from the self-guided option.

I almost immediately regretted paying for the guided tour though as Pea was in a lively mood, determined to get up into the heavy, dangerous looking equipment and in no mood to be held by me. He probably wasn’t being as disruptive as I thought, but I always feel self-conscious that he’s disturbing other people in situations like this so I tried to keep him on a tight leash which only invoked his wrath.

Thank goodness for the education area! It’s small, but stocked with a nice selection of books and art materials.  A few pieces of plain paper and chalk were enough to keep Pea distracted. So we just stayed there, Pea got chalk all over himself and even tried to eat a piece and I made some crap origami. The museum’s permanent collection is all on the ground floor so I was still able to hear some most of what was happening on the tour.

The tour finished up with a printing demonstration so we rejoined at this point. Pea and another little girl on the tour got personalised ‘Wanted’ posters made up for them which made for a cool little keepsake. The exhibition that I wanted to see (Print, Protest and the Polls) didn’t open until the following week, not sure quite how I managed to muddle this.

I didn’t learn much about printing but one thing I do remember is the replica Guttenberg press (gifted from the production of The Tudors). Our tour guide explained that Guttenberg came from a winemaking region of Germany and was inspired to build the press by observing the winemaking process. So without wine, we probably wouldn’t have printing. Wine is the best. Yay for wine.

As a toddler distraction activity, this was very much saved by the education zone and I do plan to make a return visit with Pea. We’ll skip the guided tour and hopefully catch the exhibition next time! For older children and adults there’s more to enjoy here – there are printmaking and bookmaking workshops for children from 4 years old, and workshops for adults too.

Essential info

The National Print Museum is located at Beggars Bush Barracks, Haddington Road Dublin 4. Admission is free for a self-guided tour, guided tours cost EUR 3.50 for adults and EUR 2.00 for children. Opening hours are 9.00 – 17.00 Monday to Friday and 14.00 – 17.00 on weekends. The museum closes on Bank Holiday weekends. Step free access is available to the ground floor but not for the mezzanine floor where temporary exhibitions are held. There’s an accessible toilet, baby change and a cafe with highchairs.