Schools Programme

School students sit on floor in front of a large oil painting as a woman wearing a face mask speaks to them
Photographer: Jack Caffrey, The Pimlico Project, 2021

We offer onsite and online experiences for schools including guided tours and online sessions. Schools can also arrange to visit the Gallery as a self-guided group. Read on for full details of what's on offer this spring.

Onsite

School Tour: Collection highlights (free)

Explore treasures of the national collection through engaging discussions with our expert guides on this free school tour. Focusing on dialogue, questioning, and creativity, this free tour will embolden students to look, respond, and form opinions. The tour will be tailored to the age and level of your group and is available in Irish, English or ISL.

Sketching Tour (€)

Take a deeper look at the national collection on this sketching tour with an artist from our guide panel. Use sketching to observe and respond to details and techniques. Your guide will select some key artworks to look at in depth on this tour. The tour will be tailored to the age and level of your group and is available in English.

School Tour: Non-Ticketed Exhibitions (free)

Explore treasures of the Gallery’s free exhibitions through engaging discussions with our expert guides on this free school tour. Focusing on dialogue, questioning, and creativity, this free tour will embolden students to look, respond, and form opinions. The tour will be tailored to the age and level of your group and is available in Irish, English or ISL.

  • Book a Free Exhibition school tour here and select the exhibition you would like to visit in the booking form 
  • Available during term time. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays at 10am, 11am, 12pm and 1pm
  • This guided school tour is free, but booking is essential
  • These tours are suitable for Montessori, primary and post-primary groups
  • We can accommodate a maximum of 60 students per time slot
  • Your group must be separated into groups of 15 students, each group accompanied by an adult
  • For ISL tours please contact [email protected]
  • Please read the Collection Highlights Teachers' Information Pack carefully in advance of your tour as it contains important safety information

Online

Online Schools Session (free)

Explore treasures of the national collection through engaging online discussions with one of our expert guides. Focusing on dialogue, questioning and creativity, the session will embolden students to look, respond and form opinions. The online session will be tailored to the age and level of your group and is available in Irish or English. You can choose from the following themes: Collection Highlights; Portraits; Irish Art; European Art.

Self-guided visits

School groups can arrange self-guided visits to the Gallery and exhibitions.

Self-guided groups visiting the permanent collection and free exhibitions

  • Groups can visit the Gallery's permanent collection and free exhibitions for free, but must book a time slot for their visit
  • A group is 10-15 people (max.), plus 1 group leader
  • You can book a maximum of 3 groups per time slot i.e. 48 people divided into three groups of 15, each accompanied by a group leader
  • You must select a check-in point when booking: either the Merrion Square entrance, or the Clare Street entrance
  • When booking, if your preferred time slot is not available at one entrance, there may be availability at the other entrance, so make sure to check both
  • There is no time limit on your visit, but you must arrive at the time you have booked
  • Groups must be supervised at all times
  • Groups and group leaders should read our Gallery Code of Conduct and our Visitor Guide
  • BOOK GROUP VISIT ENTERING VIA MERRION SQUARE
  • BOOK GROUP VISIT ENTERING VIA CLARE STREET

Self-guided groups visiting ticketed exhibitions

Self-guided resources

Download or access our resources for schools online:

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