As an art museum National Gallery of Ireland was founded in 1854.  This National Art Museum is situated at the centre of Dublin with one entrance on Merrion Square, beside Leinster House, and another on Clare Street. 

The Gallery Museum houses a rich collection of over 16,300 artworks. Spanning the history of western European art, from around 1300 to the present day, the collection includes well-known artists from Mantegna and Titian to Monet and Picasso. Paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, photography, archival and bibliographical material all feature, in addition to objets d’art, silverware and furniture. 

The Gallery has an extensive, representative collection of Irish paintings and is also notable for its Italian Baroque and Dutch masters painting. The current director is Sean Rainbird.

Admission is free.