The Chester Beatty Library, Dublin

The Chester Beatty Library is a public charitable trust, established in Dublin in 1950, to house the collections of mining magnate, Sir Alfred Chester Beatty.

Chester Beatty’s library is widely regarded as the finest collection of manuscripts and books made by a private collector in the 20th century. It includes representative samples of the world’s heritage (artistic, religious and secular) from about 2700 BC to the present century.

The Library's contents are displayed in two collections: "Sacred Traditions" and "Artistic Traditions". Both displays exhibit manuscripts, miniature paintings, prints, drawings, rare books and some decorative arts from the Islamic, East Asian and Western Collections. The Library is one of the premier sources for scholarship in both the Old and New Testaments and is home to one of the most significant collections of Islamic and Far Eastern artefacts.

The museum also offers numerous temporary exhibitions, many of which include works of art on loan from foreign institutions and collections. The museum contains a number of priceless objects, including one of the surviving volumes of the first illustrated Life of the Prophet and the Gospel of Mani believed to be the last remaining artefact from Manichaeism.

Opening Times

1 May to 30 September:
Monday to Friday - 10.00am to 5.00pm
Saturday, 11.00am to 5.00pm
Sunday, 1.00am to 5.00pm

1 October to 30 April:
Tuesday to Friday, 10.00am to 5.00pm
Saturday, 11.00am to 5.00pm
Sunday, 1.00am to 5.00pm

Closed
1 January,
Good Friday,
24, 25 and 26 December,
Monday public holidays.

Visit website for more information

Ticket Prices

Admission is free.

Visit website for more information

Disabled Facilities

The Library is a wheelchair-friendly building and, with the e-guide and audiovisual presentations, access to the collection is facilitated.

Many of the most important exhibitions are placed at a comparatively low height to facilitate viewing by those of our visitors who are wheelchair-bound.

A Braille copy of the Library's main information leaflet is available at the reception desk.

Visit website for more information

More Information

Telephone: 00 353 (0) 1 4070750

Visit website for more information