The Old Library and the Book of Kells

The Book of Kells Exhibition

Welcome to the Old Library and the Book of Kells - a “must see” on the itinerary of all visitors to Dublin. Located in the heart of Dublin City, a walk through the cobbled stones of Trinity College Dublin will bring visitors back to the 18th century, when the magnificent Old Library building was constructed. Inside is housed the Book of Kells - a 9th-century gospel manuscript famous throughout the world. Visitors are welcomed by our friendly staff seven days a week.

Visitors enter through the Library Shop and proceed to the Book of Kells "Turning Darkness into Light" exhibition; then to the Treasury where a volume of the Book of Kells and other related manuscripts are on view; then proceed upstairs to the magnificent Long Room which houses 200,000 of the Library’s oldest books in its oak bookcases.

Exhibitions are held in the Long Room to display the rich holdings of the Library and encourage further research.

Visitors can take a Trinity Tour of campus which includes entry to the Book of Kells and exhibitions, or enjoy the Trinity Experience - some of the many wonderful things for visitors to enjoy at Trinity College Dublin.

Can't Make It In Person?

The Book of Kells transparencies, originally captured by Faksimile Verlag, Lucerne, Switzerland, in 1990, have recently been rescanned using state of the art imaging technology. These new digital images offer the most accurate high resolution images to date, providing an experience second only to viewing the book in person. Please come and see the Book of Kells in its entirety in the Library's new Digital Collections online repository, provided by the Library's Digital Collections.

The Book of Kells Online