I visited EPIC – The Irish Emigration Museum – on my recent trip to Dublin following a week in Killarney where I attended the TBEX conference.
I met Carl at the TBEX event and he mentioned that all bloggers can get a free ticket to the EPIC museum which only recently opened and needs a bit of publicity.
I’ve already visited the London Museum of Immigration and also the Tenement Museum in New York, so I thought why not visit the EPIC for a change? 🙂
How to Find EPIC – The Irish Emigration Museum
The museum is a short walk from O’Connell Street in Dublin along the banks of the River Liffey. Check the map below for its exact location.
EPIC is open daily from 10AM to 645PM with last entries at 5PM. Address: Custom House Quay, Dublin.
Ticket Cost: €15
The EPIC Building Inside
It turned out to be a very interesting exhibit and Carl said many representatives from foreign governments have visited to get ideas for their own museums of emigration.
As you walk along the corridors in the basement of this historic warehouse you can relive the moments of historical importance that shaped the lives of many Irish citizens.
Walking through some of the rooms and listening to the stories of the emigrants I could relive my moments of (in)decision and fear of the unknown but also the excitement of seeing something new and building a new life.
Not only that, I also learned that many hugely famous figures around the world like Tony Blair and Barack Obama all have Irish ancestors. For example, Tony Blair’s mother was Irish which I am sure helped in the peace process which eventually turned into the Good Friday Agreement.
It turns out also that Ireland has given many scientists to the world and their names and innovations are displayed in the science room which I enjoyed most due to its colourful displays.
Overall Impressions
I enjoyed my visit and at a cost of less than €15 I think it would be worth a visit for anyone considering emigrating and also for those that do not think too highly of immigrants.
A visit here would help dis-spell myths and help xenophobes understand that they can easily become migrants themselves just like millions of Irish people did during past centuries.