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Ingenious Dublin

Ingenious Dublin

The Little Museum of Dublin presents Ingenious Dublin

Natural wonders, clever inventions and historic industries are the stars of this colourful new exhibition now on in the Little Museum.

Dublin is a place where scientific discoveries are made with surprising frequency. In this new show, you will discover everything from the story of the Victorian doctor who pioneered the development of the syringe, to how lichen on a rock led to a cure for leprosy.

Curated to honour Mary Mulvihill, who was passionate about sharing the wonders of science, this exhibition based on her book Ingenious Ireland and it is a celebration of Dublin’s rich scientific heritage.

Mary was a pioneering, outstanding exponent of science writing and broadcasting. She wrote and broadcast for a wide variety of media, on a vast range of science- and technology-related topics. Her work was marked by an insatiable curiosity about the natural world and the role of science in understanding it, and by a boundless imagination in telling stories about scientific explorations, both now and in the past.

Playful and colourful, the exhibition tells the story of Dublin in exhibits that chart its nature, technology, water and medicine. Join us for a fascinating journey through time and space.


As part of the Ingenious Dublin exhibition, The Little Museum of Dublin presented a series of stimulating talks with some of the country’s brightest scientific minds.


Tuesday 21 November 5.30pm – 8.00pm

Professor Patrick Wyse Jackson
Geology and Photography, the work of John Joly

Professor Brendan Kelly
Grangegorman and the Dublin Asylums: Learning from the History of our Forgotten Psychiatric Institutions


Tuesday 28 November 5.30pm – 8.00pm

Professor Peter Gallagher
Dunsink Observatory and Ireland’s contributions to astronomy

Discussion with Clodagh Finn, Dr Mary McAuliffe and Dr Claire O’Connell
Women in Irish Science and Technology


This exhibition is co-curated by Nigel Monaghan and presented in association with the Mary Mulvihill Association.

Ingenious Dublin is now on at the Little Museum of Dublin, 15 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2. A place on one of our famous guided tours is included in price of admission to the museum.

The exhibition is presented by Santa Rita Estates and hosted in partnership with The Heritage Council, Dublin City Council & The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport & Media.

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