Tourists can walk around most of Trinity College Dublin for free, but you can't get into the Old Library without a ticket. The Old Library is one of the gems of Trinity College Dublin. It's a popular tourist spot for anyone visiting the Irish capital, and the Long Room is a stunning sight for any library lover. If you want to see this gorgeous attraction, you'll need to get a ticket for the Book of Kells and Old Library Experience. In my opinion, it is definitely worth a visit, but there are a couple things to keep in mind to temper your expectations.
First, there aren't many books left. The double-height library is such a cool building, and you could imagine how cool it would look being completely full of books. It's impressive, architecturally, when you consider how heavy books are and notice the arched ceilings between each of the stacks. Unfortunately, most of the books have been removed for conservation, so it doesn't look quite as exciting as it could. They've left books in the first six stacks, but I'm not sure if they're there for good or if I just got lucky.
Second, you can't access much of the space. There is also velvet rope down the length of the library, so you can't walk among the stacks. You also can't get upstairs to look at the library from above. You can only walk the length of the Long Room, and while beautiful, it's not a very big room. I found myself surprised at how short the whole visit was and relieved that we didn't wait around long thanks to time-slot tickets.
But with those caveats out of the way, the Old Library at Trinity College Dublin is definitely worth a visit! It's a gorgeous building, there are some very interesting things to see inside, and it'll surely spark envy that your local public library isn't as nice.
What is there to see in the Old Library?
Although there aren't many books left, the stacks are pretty cool. Each shelf is marked alphabetically, in gold lettering carved into the dark hardwood of the shelves. It looks exactly how a fancy old library should, and it's going on my mood board for my future office. There are also marble busts of famous people (authors, philosophers, etc) in front of every stack. There are also these gorgeous wrought iron spiral staircases leading to the second floor that I am disappointed I couldn't climb.
1/ The Oldest Celtic Harp in Ireland
The Old Library is also home to the medieval Celtic harp which is the symbol of Ireland, featured on everything from passports to currency to the Presidential seal. This harp is over 600 years old, and it's the oldest harp in Ireland. While I can't imagine the strings are still playable, it's in amazing condition, and it's cool to see the detail and craftsmanship of a 14th century harp maker.
2/ The Proclamation of 1916
The Proclamation of Irish Republic was written during the Easter Rising rebellion in 1916 when the Irish declared sovereignty from the British. It was issued on Easter Sunday and was a major moment in Ireland gaining independence as a country, which came in 1921.
3/ A Giant Earth
Finally, the Long Room is also home to a very cool art installation called Gaia. This is a giant 3-D model of the Earth using NASA images. It's by artist Luke Jerram, and it's illuminated and spins slowly. It was designed to give people a different perspective of our planet as a reminder to take care of it, and that's why it's located here, during the Old Library's conservation project. It's a very cool addition to the Long Room, and I'm glad I saw it.
What is the Book of Kells?
When you buy a ticket for the Old Library, you will also get access to the "Book of Kells experience." This is a museum of sorts featuring the Book of Kells, a 1,200-year-old copy of the four Gospels of the New Testament beautifully illustrated with amazing natural pigments that have stood the test of time. It was created by monks in the 9th century, and the artwork and its survival through time have made it a very important artifact. That said, it was hard to photograph and was more of a bonus than the reason I made my mom do the tour with me.
How to visit Trinity College Dublin's Old Library
Visiting the Old Library is easy, but you have to get tickets ahead of time. Try to book tickets at least a few days in advance, as they may be sold out for the day by the time you arrive. Tickets for the self-guided tour of the Old Library and the Book of Kells are about 20€ per person.
How long is the Old Library and Book of Kells tour?
When you arrive, you'll wait outside the Old Library for your time slot, so bring appropriate clothing for the weather. When you go inside, the first floor is dedicated to the Book of Kells Experience. Then, you'll go upstairs, through the Long Room, back downstairs, through a gift shop and out. It's a small building, so it's a pretty short tour. All in, I think we were inside for half an hour tops, which makes sense since the time slots are every thirty minutes.
On our way out, there were these beautiful linens that took up one wall on the staircase down. I wish there had been more to see, but it was a small installation.
The Old Library was a great experience. I think it was definitely worth the cost of the ticket, and I'm glad I got to see it. That is mostly because I'm a huge fan of libraries, but there really is enough for everyone, historical artifacts, art, and more!