Last Day in Dublin, Day 10

As we wrap up our last day in Dublin, it occurs to us how much we still want to do. With more time, we would see more museums, take more day trips, drink more tea, and visit more carveries. Alas, all vacations must come to an end. So, as we began the process of saying a long goodbye to Ireland, we decided that were two additional museums we had to visit and one more trip to O'Neills was essential. 

The first museum on the list was the Little Museum of Dublin. As the title indicates, this is a small museum, but it's a powerful one as well. We were impressed by the interactivity of the exhibits and the intimacy of the spaces. The picture below is me sitting behind the desk of a former editor of the Irish Times. In the next room was a large exhibit on Alfie Byrnes--the longest serving mayor of Dublin.

Here's Peyton contemplating the future of Dublin with Mayor Byrnes.

After lunch at O'Neills, we headed over to the National Museum of Archeology. I was desperate to see the bog mummies in addition to other artifacts. Outside the museum was this cool plaque with a quote from Ulysses. Later, I saw a few more of these as we were walking around the city. Unfortunately, it's not always so easy to stop and take a photo of something on the sidewalk without irritating people!

Like the National Museum of Natural Science, this museum is also lovely and Victorian. It's a bit of a museum within a museum due to the gorgeous mosaic tiles, the decorative tiles around the doorways, and the cool display cases.

In a short amount of time I've become smitten with a certain variety of Irish humor. When we entered the museum we were laden with gifts and wanted to store them while we walked around. So, we walked over to the information/coat check counter. The guy behind the counter didn't really acknowledge us and was busily messing with his phone. But, after a second or two he looked up and I asked if we could put some stuff in a locker. His reply was, "Is there anything in here I can wear?" This began a whole repartee about what we had in our bags, if he could wear or drink any of it, and what an asshole Donald Trump is (and how one of the bog mummies looks like Trump). He then walked us into the museum, bantered with a fellow museum employee for a minute or so, handed him a museum map, and then left us in the care of his friend. As he was walking away, he said he'd leave a couple bog mummy posters for us at the counter and if he wasn't there to just "mention the alimony payments." His friend balled up the map and tossed it and said, "Here's what you need to know, over there are the mummies, over there is the gold from the gold from the hoards, and there's the really old stuff. Try not to break anything, but if you do, there are a lot of French tourists here today and we'll just blame it on them." And, we were off!

The first mummy we found did look like Trump, albeit the mummy has better hair and a less leathery complexion.

The second mummy was missing its head and legs, but was still amazingly intact.

The next two mummies were in a bit worse shape, but still incredible. It it didn't seem creepy to other museum visitors, I would have loved to have spent a bit more time with them.

I like how I can see two Petyon's in the glass studying a map.

This is a skeleton of a viking solider--he was buried with his sword and dagger. In the background you can see a little of the metal floor grate that winds through the museum. I love how so many of these details still remain in place.

Peyton's about museumed out at this point.

The National Museum of Archeology was next door to the National Library of Ireland. We had a lovely and fortifying cup of tea there before we met Eleanor for dinner.

And, then we had a series of lasts--last dinner, last walk over the Ha'penny Bridge, last trip on the Luas. Dublin, it's been great knowing you--until next time!