Science Gallery Dublin

While operational, this space mastered the art of making complex concepts tactile. Their "Infectious" exhibition's giant virus models improved public health literacy more effectively than any pamphlet. Temporary walls were reconfigured with museum-grade precision for each new theme.

A nice gallery to pass by if you’ve got a spare 30mins. Smaller than expected but still has lots of interesting interactive exhibits especially the space section. There’s also a cafe area with lots of seating and a small gift shop with items for adults and children. The gallery is located only a few mins walk from Pearse train station which is really convenient.

One of my favorite experiences in Dublin. A really thoughtful exhibition on "fake" when I visited, which really made you think about a lot of things. And the exhibition space itself is very beautiful and almost perfect for this kind of temporary exhibitions and displays. My only complaint would be that I would have liked it to be bigger :-)

Well worth a visit. Not too busy and the exhibits very interesting. It took a good couple of hours to look around.

Everything about this place is super. If you're just in for a quick coffee or a meal the food is fantastic and service is great. There always seems to be a table to sit at even when it's busy. Very clean and bright with a really nice view out onto the street if you enjoy a bit of people watching. The Gallery itself is always interesting and easy to navigate though. Plenty of rooms and interactive content to engage with (Depending on what exhibition is on)

This is a fantastic place, could not recommend highly enough. The exhibitions are always fascinating and take a creative approach to the science. It's free in, so there's no excuse. Dublin is lucky to have such a well curated resource in the city centre. Skip the book of Kells, and make your way through to here. Have a cup of coffee in their Café after!

I love they are showing the world about plastics. I found reading about it all really interesting. It’s a good learning curve and look into real life with what is happening right now. It will help me rethink buying something in plastic.

What makes Science Gallery one of my favourite places in Dublin? Is it the thought provoking, thematic exhibitions that explore the cutting edge of science and art? Or perhaps the highest level of quality in presentation and graphic design surrounding each exhibition? Maybe it is the friendly and knowledgeable staff that will guide you through the pieces on display? Or the quirky shop full of ‘can’t get these elsewhere’ toys and trinkets? I think it may just be the coffee, but the above also helps.

It's a fantastic gallery in Dublin that hosts a fascinating science exhibition. There is no fee to visit, so it's perfect if you are a budget traveler. I've only been here once while on a long layover. I was searching for a coffee shop while walking around and saw this place. They have an excellent cafeteria inside that serves good coffee and a small toy shop that focused on tricky and scientific toys. It's in direct entrance to Trinity College, so if you are visiting Dublin, Ireland and you have nothing to do. Might be worth checking out since it's free!

I'm a huge fan of the Science Gallery! Every 3 months they put on a new exhibition, always interactive, always interesting. The way they approach their chosen subjects, you never really know what to expect. Often, the actual topic of the exhibition doesn't sound overly enjoyable (for example: 'Blood' in 2015) but once you get there you are totally surprised by how many angles a subject is approached from and what they (and the artists) have done with it. The latest event is called Trauma and is still running for another week (ending 21.02.2016). Artists looked at various forms of trauma and their effect on people. From a stand-up comedian who lost a limb in a car crash, to the Swedish cycling airbag helmet thing that you can buy in the gift shop for 300 Euro to an interactive map visualizing refugees as little moving dots across the map of Europe. The numbers are based on data from the UN Refugee Agency and really show what millions of people fleeing looks like. Always free and with a fab café on site, there really is no excuse not to go!

If I'm in the area I always love popping into the Science Gallery for a few reasons. 1. They always have some interesting exhibits. Last time I went they had two themed exhibits. There was one about emergency/end of time/doomsday sort of things. One part of this exhibit I love had these sponges with different smell of the Amazon Rain forest (various plants and things) so you could smell on all of the things that we'd miss out on if the Amazon Rain Forest got destroyed. The other exhibit was about science being used outside the lab. It was interesting because it feature real people (not just scientists) who were doing science hacking. One of the people focused on was a lady in London who created a device to attach to the back of a buggy to measure levels of air pollution. 2. I like that it's more of an adult kind of museum. I'm sure kids are allowed, but the exhibits aren't really geared to kids. I've been to lots of great science museums for kids with bright coloured displayed and simple terminology for kids to learn about dinosaurs/geology/the solar system/anatomy, etc. Since the Science Gallery focuses on one or two speciality topics (and these exhibitions change through out the year) it seems to attract an older crowd. That said you don't have to be Albert Einstein to enjoy the exhibits and learn something here. 4. It's a really cool space inside. They have a small store and a coffee shop. There is a apparently a theatre for lectures, but I haven't attended any of those. The layout is open and the museum isn't huge. I find 30 to 60 minutes (depending on your level of interest in the topics they have) is more than enough time to go through. 5. It's open late. If you're in the area on a Tuesday to Friday it's open until 8pm, where a lot of other museums close by 6pm. It's open to 6pm on weekends and closed Mondays. 6. Finally, it's free. If you're broke and are looking for something to do then pop into the Science Gallery. Of course if you got some money and enjoyed the exhibits there are donation boxes for you to support the Science Gallery.

A new exhibition has just opened, and since I was lucky enough to go to the launch party, thought I'd give a brief review. Field Test: Radical Adventures in Future Farming opened yesterday at the Gallery, aimed at showcasing ideas for the future of farming. Some fascinating and interesting exhibits - things to look out for include: aquaponics (where you can grow fish and plants in the same symbiotic systems); how to use coffee granules to grow mushrooms; the Dublin postcode honey initiative (farming honey from each of the different postcodes, samples were on offer at the launch); trial a virtual reality system aimed at battery chickens; and learn about different food types for the future. Definitely recommend checking it out to find out more

A friend sequestered me into going to a lecture by an astro-physicist. 'Annie, it will be full of nerds you really don't have to go.' But I knew I had to go. That's what friends do, take an interest in their friends interests every once and awhile. 'No, no, no it's cool. I dig stars and stuff.' It was my first time to go to a lecture in the gallery, they run free lectures frequently. I was transported back to my misspent college days of lecture halls and that elusive art of concentration. The guest lecturer from the University of California, Berkeley was amazing, so amazing in fact that I really did not understand anything she was saying. Because the topic went over my head I instead tried to connect in some way with her. She is a highly intelligent woman of autumnal years, glamorous, a researcher and director of many NASA programmes. I realised after her second sentence that we connected in two ways; we are women and blonde. My companion on the other hand nodded enthralled along with the other members of the audience. I just started to daydream about sex and asteroids. But then something wonderful happened. The lecturer played some data that smart people have turned into space sounds. You see there is no sound in space but when they read the data of particles hitting spaceships and I don't know eh, space rain swirling about, it makes patterns. They assigned sounds to the individual patterns and the result is space sounds. Now that was very cool, all it needs is a pumping bass line and happy days, it's good to go for the next Miami winter music conference. That is my next project, to make space sounds dance music sexy. You see; science is fun after all.

The Science Gallery just do a bleedin great job really don't they. Their programme is second to none - always something interesting and informative happening - from exhibitions about Space, to Blood and Weather, they always seem to strike the balance between outlining some really excellent facts and figures, in a casual, highly visual and easily digestible way. On top of this, the building itself is airy and pleasant to be in, and they have a lovely little cafe, and a gift shop that's nice for browsing in even if you're not attending any of the shows. It's a great place in particular to buy unusual gifts for people - they have a stunning collection of books that would look extra smug on any sitting room coffee table.

What's not to love about the Science Gallery? It's free, easily accessible, complete with all the amenities you may need - toilets, shop, café - and it's a great way to spend some leisure time. The exhibits here are always about the intersection between science and art, commissioned under a specific theme - think "Bio Engineering", "Weather" or even "Fat". Expect to be challenged both by the technical information as by the artistic ideas presented. Visiting the Science Gallery is like being introduced to possible futures, and that makes you think about what we're doing towards that right now in the present. That being said, it's not overly conceptual. Quite the opposite, actually: many of the pieces are interactive and some of them are kids-friendly or even dedicated to them. After you've been through both exhibition floors, why not pop over to their shop and wonder at all the interesting books over there - ranging from DIY and cooking to typography - and the quirky gadgets and toys. Stay well away if you're a stationery nerd, as they sell the cutest rubbers and notebooks.

I first came to the Science Gallery to take in a talk by Paola Antonelli, the head of the architecture and design department at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. She was captivating and the intimate space where she gave her lecture really made it feel special. Since then I've been back to the Science Gallery on a handful of occasions for events and exhibitions and always thoroughly enjoy myself. I'd definitely put this place on a must-see list whilst in Dublin.

Maybe it was the way it was talked about that built it up too much. I was expecting a much larger display of scientific stations and activities from both the brochure and guides. It's a very small space that houses a dozen or so exhibits that change from time to time. Dimension-wise, it basically houses a small corner on the ground level next to a cafe and boutique store as well as 1/4 of the second level where an often inactive theatre takes up half of that space. Due to it's size, it doesn't take many people to fill it up quickly and create long lines for the exhibits. It also opens later than most places, at noon. Luckily, it's free. The exhibits I visited surrounded the concept of sight as both a physiological and perceptual sense. They had a handful of interactive centers that used eyes to draw, machine eyes to recreate your visage (not working), pictures that played with distance, and activities that used hearing as another form of sight. I was able to fully participate in all save one exhibit in less than 30 minutes. I guess one could visit it on the way to a larger attraction at Trinity College.

Super cool and free but informative stop in Dublin. Be sure to check out their cafe and gift shop too.

Love this place. Probably irrelevant to add thoughts on the already-over exhibition I saw not so long ago, but certainly got time to share how impressed I am with the cafe. No chance for bites, but... erm, a museum/gallery space with... actually great coffee? I'm deadly serious. That flat white was killer, the service was so good they brought the coffee to me, and there are power points to plug in if you're laptopping. Makes me embarrassed and, to be honest --angry-- by the state of the cafes in almost all of the UK when it comes to galleries. That might be an exaggeration. There's no way I've been to enough for a reliable survey. Let's at least say I'm embarrassed by Leeds. Enough of that. Bonus on top of the science tings? Amazing gadgets in the gift shop. Love a gadget, me. I'm into it.

This place is not very suitable for kids at all. Brought my younger siblings in after seeing some reviews and pictures of kids enjoying it and the entire exhibition was solely to do with trauma and missing limbs. Trying to salvage the adventure by letting my little sister have a go of the oculus rift but it ended up portraying an awful scene of a bomb falling on a family in Syria. It was pretty sweaty and smelly which didn't help with things either

Very small gallery with a tiny coffee shop and very interesting themed exhibitions. In many of these exhibitions, you are invited to be part of research and tests as, for example, checking your blood sugar levels - and the staff is always helpful. You can pop in and in about 30 minutes you can leave having learnt something new. The best one I have seen there was related to Body Fat. Surprisingly cool.

After visiting the National Museum of Ireland, we attempted to see the Book of Kelis at Trinity College (am I the first to point out the connection to "Milkshake"? Probably not.), but the line was just too long. So, we elected to take in the Science Gallery - surely this would occupy a good amount of time to look at, right? We had a surprisingly arduous time finding the place - just another block, another turn, another block, but eventually we located the building. We were a few minutes early, so we elected to have a coffee in the café. It was ok. Finally it was time for the Gallery to open up. I had images of rooms with constellations on the wall, perhaps a chemical room where one could create a new element. Science, you know... Instead, there were a handful of exhibitions dealing with visual concepts. Is it Science? You bet. Is it interesting? As much as I try to find light (heh) in almost any scenario, I would have to conclude the answer is 'no'. While I'm sure some people get pleasure out of this, unless you really dig the subject, are a student looking to expand your mind, or just trying to kill a few minutes, I think this is a waste of time. Fortunately it was near the end of our Ireland tour rather than the beginning.

i had a great time here with a group of friends, all 8 of us adults! we hung out in the coffee shop for over an hour and the gift shop for another half hour. all a good laugh and educational. in the exhibition there was lots of interactive parts and the kids there seemed to love it as much as the adults. it was educational too but in that school trip way not the classroom way. and best of all, it was FREE! only down side was it could have been bigger then then the exhibition was on the elements and i guess there's really only so much you can exhibit in a fun and interesting way. ill defiantly go back for the next one.

The Science Gallery is'nt talked about enough! relly cool place they have interesting exhibitions on, and change them regularly so be sure to keep an eye on it or you could miss out n a good one :) There's a shop down the back where you can buy science books, little puzzles and souvenirs. Down the very back they run a really cool little cafe. there re little buttons on each table that you use for calling table service, ordering a coffee and asking for the bill. I LOVE THAT! really neat cool idea ! every place needs that. the food it actually really good to and the coffee is cloud picker so is up to par with most good cafes around dublin. Really do like this place nice to drop in every now and then for a nose around the gallery and quick meal

This museum in Dublin is doing at the moment a huge effort to bring many aspects of science to the public in general. Really nice expositions with interesting topics. Interactive when possible. Highly recommended to visit the expositions and subscribe for newsletters.

This is a great spot to meet friends for a tea/coffee. Located at the back of Trinity College, it's got the perfect balance of university "trendiness" and a relaxed atmosphere, and isn't pretentious (as it might sound). The coffee is great- strong and citrusy- and the food is perfectly fine, though the selection is somewhat limited. This isn't the kind of place you'd go to "do lunch" in any grand way, but rather a casual meeting spot that you might find yourself lingering at longer than expected. The exhibitions are varied, covering different areas of scientific study in a very accessible, light-hearted way, and they're staffed by knowledgeable science students and graduates from the college. The website can tell you what's on, and it's worth going for a stroll through after your cup is drained. As others have pointed out, gallery membership is available and gives you a 10% discount. There's also a small gift shop which has some surprisingly cool nerdy merchandise. Downsides are that the furniture is all rather solid plastic, and some of the exhibits can be quite noisy depending on the exhibition! But that's all part of the relaxed charm. For something a little different, this place is worth a visit. I may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you're fed up of the bedlam of many coffee shops nearby, it's recommended.

I definitely don't go here often enough. The different exhibitions they have are always interesting and thought provoking I find. And even just to have a look through the little shop is fun and just something different.

"Making science fun", three words to strike fear into anyone with a pulse. The Science Gallery gives it a go, and mostly succeeds. The gallery tries to blend the scientific with the artistic, and also encourages people to interact with the exhibits. If you're expecting to just go and look at a light-show, you'll be disappointed. The Gallery also tries to follow you home, in a way. It's website has detailed break-downs of past and present exhibitions, a great online store and a podcast series. There really isn't a place like this anywhere else in Ireland (that I know of). So, if you're at a loose end on Pearse Street, stop in. The admission price is €Free.99, but this place definitely deserves a little donation as you leave too!

I find this gallery a very interesting place. And I really like their cafe, they have a good menu serving different stuff; salads, pizza, soups, noodles, burgers..ect. I enjoy spending my breaks their having my tea or coffee. They also have a gift shop which really like and you can find various of strange or interesting stuff and books. My fav part is when you press the button to call for a service or coffee or even to pay your bill.

So we were going somewhere by train and we needed to kill 40 mins, so Science Gallery popped in to my head. I had been here before to see what was going on as I was passing. Its great for nosey and doesn't cost the earth (its free, but you can give a donation). Today it was all about robots. But we went straight to the cafe for a refuel. My cappuccino was grand and the muffin my buddy had was very nice. They brought our order to the table when it was ready too, good stuff. In the cafe section, there are blackboards with stuff on them, but they also want people to get involved, so we added out own nonsense to them. The shop has some quirky stuff too, if a little pricey. There was this ice tray that made ice in the shape of Space Invaders - cool! But 10EUR... hmmm, maybe after payday.

It was my first day in Dublin and I'm so glad this place was here as I awaited my room at Trinity to be ready. The service is great and the exhibits are interesting and fun. Sit down and enjoy tea there versus take away. You get a nice pot that gives you about two cups. Definitely check it out.

I used to come here all the time, since I work next door. However, they changed owners several months ago and since then the coffee has gone seriously down hill. It used to be run by the same people as Cafe de Napoli. In other words, they know how to make coffee. Now it is dirty dishwater. I have not tried their food since the change over. Best to walk the half-block down Westland Row to Cafe de Napoli for coffee. Aside from the cafe, the Science Gallery has very interesting exhibitions. Sign up as a member for discounts and event news. I have attended several lectures and events. Many of them are great for kids and they make an effort to be interactive. If you are in the area and have some time it is worth dropping by to see what is going on.

This place is amazing and they have awesome exhibitions for free. Go there to learn something new and enjoy one of the best venue in Dublin. Awesome for kids as they have a lot of activities, coder dojo as well, to empower your kid for a bright future!

I maybe biased but Science Gallery is a great place to learn, debate on their exhibitions that are unique and so different to other museums and galleries. It's science meets art in the most modern way! Every exhibition has its own distinct identity, and best of all, it's FREE. Great for family as well. They also have lots of events going on, so be sure to check them out at their site.

There really is nothing negative I could say about the Science Gallery to be blunt about it. No matter what exhibit is currently on there will always be something to intrigue and interest your nerdy side. The gift shop is fantastic with all manner of quirky products and fascinating books on subjects you never even realised there could be a book about. The staff are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the exhibits and you can really tell everyone loves working there. Who could blame them? Getting to talk about science in an environment such as this is a rare privilege. Science Gallery also features a rather fancy cafe with delightful staff and a cool seating area with unusually designed tables and chairs. The coffee is quite nice too! This is a great place to while away an hour or two either alone or with friends. It's very children friendly too.

The Science Gallery experience varies from exhibition to exhibition. The space itself is lovely and fits the different exhibitions in quite well and there's a great little café and nice giftshop particularly good for kids. The opening hours are very surprising too, open 'til 8 pm on weekdays! Yesterday I went to the Lifelogging exhibition at around 6pm. It was very quiet and the gallery workers didn't offer any information to us on what the exhibition was about. The installations were very abstract and very data heavy, it was hard to figure out what was being said at each of the various stations. I'm more basing my review on my excellent experience at the Blood exhibition in which they had lots of thought-provoking pieces, and one of the gallery workers explained and asked me interesting questions on what I thought about the exhibit. Even got my blood typed which I've been wanting to know for a long time. Basically, I think it all depends on the time you go, the exhibition that's on, and whether the workers interact with you or not.

The science gallery provides great entertainment and is free! :) I'd particularly recommend the current exhibition "Game. The future of play.". It's all about different concepts involved in games and gaming, and how it's evolved over years. It's a very interactive exhibition with loads of fun things you can do. For eg. you have to physically navigate your way around a maze while wearing video goggles that show you a video of you in the maze from a camera view in front and overhead to add the challenge of rethinking your lefts from rights and distances etc. As well as that there are ping pong games where you control your bat going up and down on the screen by speaking in a higher or lower pitch. Definitely pop along if you are looking for something fun to do to kill some time! I didn't have time to do everything on Saturday so I'm going back tomorrow!

A new discovery for me - which is shocking considering it has been there for so long and also given that there has been at least one big Yelp event there in the recent past! I was really impressed, it is light, bright, airy with random bits of technology all over the place (funnily enough) and a small counter area serving some of the most inviting looking pastries and biscuits I have seen since I last walked into Poppies in Dun Laoghaire (http://www.yelp.ie/biz/poppies-country-cooking-dublin) We entered and sat and on the table is a little stand saying "Push The Button" with 3 keys on it (have attached a pic!), I pressed II for coffee, 2 seconds later a very friendly girl was over to ask what coffee we wanted, an excellent espresso and cappuccino duly arrived. Will be back as soon as I can find an excuse... the caramel squares looked spectacular!

This is a great space and concept. A place where you can go and learn, discuss, debate and question science in all its forms and current scientific issues. They have really great exhibitions that change on a regular basis so check out their website to keep up to date on what is on and when! Exhibitions are free as are some events but other wise the charge is quite cheap as it is mainly frequented by students. Throughout the exhibitions there are always talks and workshops on so it is really hands on and a great way to get involved and learn. They have a cafe there as well that does a really good coffee and a Friday night sample menu and bar.

The newest addition to Trinity's campus comes in the form of the Science Gallery. This place is certainly a departure for the University as its interiors are chic and its exhibitions are innovative and ultra-modern. I saw "lightwave" and "Infectious" there in the last few months and thought they were both really interesting (despite my limited ability to grasp things of a scientific nature). Admission to the exhibitions is free, which is a small mercy in the city and the space is well used. "Café Flux" is located inside the Science Gallery and is a hip place to see and be seen as it is often inhabited by super-cool modern types who apparently have the kind of lifestyles in which they can spend the day choosing from the array of fantastical coffees on offer and chatting to other super-cool modern types. And you will be seen, as the exterior wall onto Pearse Street is made of glass. How very cosmopolitan of you Trinity.

I love it here. Amazingly curated museum with a great cafe. I've been to a good few of their exhibitions (which are all free) and have loved them all, really interactive and informative. It's defo one of my top tips for Dublin.

I'm not really a sciencey kinda guy but I've always thoroughly enjoyed visiting the Science Gallery in Dublin. Their exhibitions and installations are always world-class and won't be seen anywhere else. They are doing a tremendous job with this years' shows as part of Dublin being the European city of Science. Their previous exhibition on water was incredible - who'd have thought something that we all take for granted in developed economies was so intricate. Their current exposition, EDIBLE, is my favourite to date. As a foodie it naturally appealed to me, but it's also managed to get me more interested in the science of food. I also had the fortune of being one of a very lucky small group to attend a food photography masterclass with Scott from Modernist Cuisine. Their programme of events has something for everyone and well worth keeping an eye on as places are limited and sell out quickly. The café is also pretty nice here. Their coffee is good and the gals working the floor are copped-on and know how to look after customers - even when it's insanely busy. Nice book selection too.

Currently running an exhibitions application of personal information, it's a great place for kids and adults alike, friendly and helpful staff. It's a small and compact gallery but has a great shop as well with self assembly robots, chemistry lab kits.

Good atmosphere, always something interesting going on! Staff are great, really helpful. Love the hot chocolate in the cafe, and the brownies are to die for.

A new initiative of the Trinity College Dublin, a fun and impressive museum of science, with tons of events and exhibitions. Currently you can sign up for a free membership, which will make you entitled for free wireless internet in the building, admission to special events and openings of exhibitions, and many other cool things!

Really nice place to hang out and kill a bit of time between meetings. The café is small but has a nice selection of pastries and hot drinks (chai latte is worth a try). Ask at reception for a wifi daypass and they'll kindly oblige. The gift shop has lots of gadgets and gizmos which you may want to spend a bit of time playing with!