I have recently returned from a trip with my girlfriend to Dublin. While over there, we made The Guinness Storehouse (Museum & Brewery) our top priority for an attraction to visit.
I actually felt a little bit concerned walking up to the Storehouse, as it seemed to be quite deserted and it appeared as if we were walking through a Victorian industrial estate! However saying all that we went through the entrance where we found plenty of people waiting patiently to get in.
The cost to get in was (in sterling) around £7 for concessions or £11 full price. For that you gain access to the museum, a paperweight with a blob of Guinness, a map and a free pint of the black stuff, or a soft drink if you so choose.
The six-story museum itself is very interesting in parts, but in others it is dreary. It is a self-guided tour, in which you follow the arrows around and then up each floor until you reach the Gravity Bar (more of that later)
What I enjoyed
I particularly enjoyed the videos of how the casks used to store the Guinness were made. Almost a whole industry was created from the building of these barrels and you couldn’t help but admire the skill of the men involved in creating them. I also enjoyed the exhibition viewing the various marketing campaigns that Guinness had been involved in over the years, highlighting the innovative nature of many of these campaigns. The reverence shown to Arthur Guinness is also actually quite endearing and you can see how proud they are of their history and their Irish patriotism.
What I didn’t enjoy
I am afraid walking past containers with Hops and Barley just didn’t do it for me and unfortunately a lot of the tour involves just that, walking past the ingredients. I also felt that certain items were spread out, in an attempt to actually make the museum look bigger, which had the opposite effect for me, in fact it actually felt sparse in parts.
Gravity Bar
The Gravity Bar is the place where you can redeem your free pint of Guinness or soft drink, and to be fair this part of the tour is excellent. The views are brilliant, right across Dublin but feel particularly privileged if you manage to obtain a seat in which to enjoy your pint!
Gift Shop
The gift shop stocks a whole range of Guinness memorabilia and you are sure to find something for that special someone, ranging from golf balls to fudge to stress toys. It is slightly expensive but no more so than in any of the other gift shops selling Guinness items across Dublin, and let’s face it, you are paying for the brand.
Overall I would recommend visiting the Guinness Storehouse, as it is interesting in parts, reasonably cheap and will keep you occupied for a few hours. Just don’t expect too much or to actually see the Guinness being brewed as you will be disappointed.
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Mar 29th, 2005
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