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Every day, thousands of people walk past the General Post Office on O’Connell Street to buy stamps.
Most of them are standing in the most important building in modern Irish history.
On Easter Monday 1916, the rebels took over the GPO and made it their headquarters. Pádraig Pearse read the Proclamation of the Irish Republic outside its front door. For a week they held it while the British army shelled O’Connell Street around them, until the building was on fire and they had to get out through the back.
The museum inside, the GPO Museum (also known as GPO Witness History), tells that story in the place where it happened. It’s one of the best-made museums in Dublin and much less crowded than the big names.
What’s inside
The museum is built around the week of the Rising, told from every side: the rebels, the soldiers, and the ordinary Dubliners caught in between. There’s the Proclamation, an immersive film of the battle, and a lot of thoughtful material about what came after.
It doesn’t stop in 1916. It carries the story on through independence and up to the modern day.
Allow about an hour to 90 minutes.
Ticket prices
Book online and you save between €2 and €5 on most tickets. Official prices, checked November 2026:
Online
- Adult: €15
- Senior (65+): €13
- Student: €13
- Child (14–17): €12
- Child (6–13): €7.50
- Child (0–5): free
- Family (2 adults + 2 children): €40
- Family (2 adults + 4 children): €45
- Adult with a disability: €8; child with a disability: €6
Walk-in
Adult €17, Senior and Student €15, Child (14–17) €13, Child (6–13) €8.50, Family (2+2) €45, Family (2+4) €50.
Book GPO Museum tickets on the official site
Opening hours
- Monday – Saturday: 10am – 5pm (last admission 4pm)
- Closed Sundays, public holidays and Christmas Eve
That Sunday closing catches a lot of weekend visitors out. If you’re only in Dublin Friday to Sunday, go on the Saturday.
The Rebel Rising walking tour
The museum also runs a Rebel Rising tour on Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 2:30pm (not on public holidays). Check the museum’s site for details and booking.
Look at the columns on the way in
Before you go inside, look at the big stone columns on the front of the building. You can still see the bullet marks from 1916. Some people will tell you a few of them are from the Civil War in 1922 instead. The columns aren’t saying.
Getting there
The GPO is on O’Connell Street, Dublin 1, right in the middle of the city. If you’re standing beside the Spire, you’re standing in front of it. The Luas Green Line stops at O’Connell–GPO, and the Red Line’s Abbey Street stop is a couple of minutes away.
A 1916 day in Dublin
If you want to follow the Rising properly, here’s the route:
- GPO Museum in the morning, for the story of the week.
- The Garden of Remembrance, five minutes’ walk up O’Connell Street, where the rebels were held overnight after the surrender.
- Kilmainham Gaol in the afternoon, where the leaders were executed.
- Glasnevin Cemetery on another day, where many of them are buried.
And if you need a break in between, our guide to crossing O’Connell Street without getting killed or conned may be useful.
GPO Museum FAQs
Is the GPO Museum open on Sundays?
No. It’s open Monday to Saturday, and closed Sundays, public holidays and Christmas Eve.
How much does the GPO Museum cost?
Adult tickets are €15 online or €17 walk-in.
Is the GPO still a post office?
Yes. You can still post a letter there.
How long should I allow?
About an hour to an hour and a half.
Prices and hours checked on the official GPO Museum website, November 2026.
More in our guide to things to do in Dublin.