Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 May 2026
61. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the position regarding the Natural History Museum; the date on which it is now expected to reopen; the cost expended on the project to date; and if he will clarify whether works are progressing on schedule. [40398/26]
View answerThe redevelopment of the National Museum of Ireland – Natural History is being progressed under the National Cultural Institution (NCI) Investment Programme as set out in the Department of Culture, Communications and Sports’ (DCCS) National Development Plan. The Office of Public Works (OPW) is working with DCCS and the National Museum of Ireland (NMI) to deliver on the refurbishment of the National Museum of Ireland – Natural History. As Contracting Authority, technical lead and custodian, the OPW play a crucial role in the maintenance and conservation of the Natural History Museum and lead on the delivery of this major redevelopment.
Constructed in 1856, the Natural History Museum requires a full refurbishment of the building to ensure that the building is protected, conserved, and made accessible for future generations. The building has not been the subject of a substantial renovation and modernisation, and there are many structural, service and occupational deficiencies. The refurbishment project will address long-standing issues with respect to the building fabric, structural integrity, mechanical and electrical services, compliance with contemporary health, safety and fire standards and accessibility. This will enhance the museum experience and engage visitors with the Museum’s unique collection and role in addressing biodiversity loss and climate change.
The redevelopment of the Museum is managed in line with the provisions of the Infrastructure Guidelines and Capital Works Framework Agreement, as well as the Governance and Operational Arrangements agreed between the Department, the NMI and the OPW for the NCI capital investment programme.
In 2022, approval was granted by DCCS for the Preliminary Business Case and for the project to proceed to the next phase. In 2023, approval was then granted to proceed to the design phase of the redevelopment project and a design team were procured by the OPW in April 2024. The Museum closed in September 2024 to enable a full decant of the collection before commencement of investigative works. This involved the Dead Zoo decanting to the former riding school at Collins Barracks. This allowed collections from the temporarily closed Natural History Museum to remain accessible to the public. The remaining collection is currently off-site in storage.
Throughout Stage 1 of the project, the design team carried out investigative works which involved surveys and opening up works to assess fabric condition and structural integrity to inform the scope of the main capital investment project. This was in tandem with a rigorous and robust design and development process. Following Steering Group approval in April 2026, the redevelopment project is now at Stage 2 of the CWMF, which will focus on design development, planning permission and subsequent detailed design and development of a procurement strategy.
At this stage of the project, it is not possible to provide a definitive project programme, as the final timeline remains dependent upon securing necessary approvals, statutory compliance processes, completing detailed design work, and the conclusion of the procurement process.
The OPW spend to date on the project is €1,301,816.04 (incl. VAT).
