The ornate stone Campanile bell tower in Trinity College's Library Square under a blue sky

Museum · College Green, Dublin

Trinity College & the Book of Kells

Dublin's 16th-century university, home to the illuminated Book of Kells and the Long Room of the Old Library

Photo: Rubina Ajdary (@rubinaajdary) / Unsplash

Discover Trinity College & the Book of Kells

Step through the stone archway from busy College Green and the noise of the city falls away. Trinity College Dublin is a working university founded in the sixteenth century, and its cobbled squares, lawns and grey stone buildings make a peaceful place to wander between lectures and tour groups.

Most visitors come for the Book of Kells, a Latin manuscript of the four Gospels decorated with astonishingly intricate knotwork, spirals and fantastical animals. The visit continues into the Old Library, whose Long Room, with its barrel-vaulted wooden ceiling and rows of marble busts, is a breathtaking sight. A digital exhibition in the neighbouring Pavilion adds an immersive way to explore the manuscript's story.

Don’t miss

01The Book of Kells, one volume displayed at a time in the Old Library
02The Long Room, a nearly 65-metre gallery with a barrel-vaulted wooden ceiling
03Marble busts of writers and thinkers, including Jonathan Swift
04Ireland's oldest harp, the model for the national emblem
05Book of Kells 360, an immersive digital experience in the Pavilion
06The Campanile and the cobbled Library Square

History & culture

The story of Trinity College & the Book of Kells

Trinity College was founded in 1592, and its library grew up with the college. The Old Library was built between 1712 and 1732 to designs by Thomas Burgh. Its Long Room, nearly 65 metres long, originally had a flat plaster ceiling and shelves only at floor level; in 1860 the roof was raised to create today's barrel-vaulted ceiling and upper gallery. Marble busts of philosophers and writers were added from 1743 onwards, beginning with a set by the sculptor Peter Scheemakers.

The Book of Kells is a manuscript of the four Gospels created by monks in the early medieval period, generally dated to around the year 800. It was presented to the college in 1661 and is displayed one volume at a time. The library also holds a medieval harp, long linked by legend to Brian Boru, which served as the model for Ireland's national emblem, and one of the few surviving copies of the 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic. A major conservation and redevelopment programme for the Old Library is under way to protect the building and its collections for the future.

Local life & traditions

Trinity remains a busy university, so you will share the campus with students heading to lectures, sports clubs on the playing fields and graduates in gowns at ceremonies. For Dubliners the campus is a much-loved short cut and green space in the middle of the city, and the college's long literary associations, from Jonathan Swift to Samuel Beckett, are a point of local pride.

Things to do

Experience it like a local

Book a timed ticket for the Book of Kells Experience and allow one to two hours. After seeing the manuscript, continue to the Long Room and the digital exhibition in the Pavilion, where interactive sculptures of figures such as Jonathan Swift, Ada Lovelace and Rosalind Franklin bring the library's history to life.

For more context, join Trinity Trails, a 45-minute guided walk around the campus led by students and alumni, which leaves from the Bell Tower. Afterwards, wander the squares and playing fields, and look out for the Campanile at the centre of Library Square before stepping back out onto Grafton Street or Nassau Street.

When to go

The Book of Kells Experience is indoors and can be visited in any season. Summer, especially July and August, is the busiest time, so book early and choose the first slot of the morning or a late-afternoon visit. Spring and autumn combine good light for photos of the campus with smaller crowds, while winter is quieter still.

Plan your visit

Verified information

What the visit includes: The Book of Kells in the Old Library, the Long Room, and a digital exhibition in the Pavilion including the immersive Book of Kells 360. Source: discoverireland.ie ↗
Recommended visit length: One to two hours. Source: discoverireland.ie ↗
Guided campus tour: Trinity Trails is a 45-minute guided walk led by students and alumni, departing from the Bell Tower. Source: discoverireland.ie ↗
Booking: Visits to the Old Library are booked through the Book of Kells Experience website. Source: tcd.ie ↗
Address: Trinity College, College Green, Dublin 2. Source: discoverireland.ie ↗

Checked against the sources on 27 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.

Travel tips

Book online in advance; timed slots in summer and at weekends often sell out.
Arrive for the first slot of the day for a calmer view of the manuscript.
Conservation work in the Old Library is ongoing, so check the official site for what is currently on display.
The campus is free to walk around; respect students and do not enter teaching buildings.
Combine your visit with a walk down Grafton Street to St Stephen's Green, a few minutes away.

General guidance from our specialists, not official information.

Around Trinity College & the Book of Kells: food, markets & places to stay

Trinity sits at the heart of Dublin, a few minutes' walk from Grafton Street, Temple Bar, the River Liffey and the National Museum and National Gallery on Kildare Street and Merrion Square. Luas tram stops and many bus routes run along the college's edges, and Pearse Street DART station is next to the campus. The Islamic Foundation of Ireland lists a prayer hall at Trinity College among its Dublin prayer spaces.