The Little Museum of Dublin Is Featuring a Brief History of the Irish Pub

If you're planning a visit to Ireland’s capital this summer, make sure to schedule room in your pub crawl for a trip to The Little Museum of Dublin. From June 1 to September 24, the museum is hosting an exhibition tracing the 200-year history of the Irish pub, TheJournal.ie reports.

Pubs, as we know them today, originated with the formation of the Licensed Vintners Association in 1817. That’s when drinking began to shift out of liquor stores and people’s homes and into Victorian establishments that were built with imbibing in mind.

The exhibit will explore the pubs of the 1800s, including the 16 authentic Victorian pubs that remain in business in Dublin today. As visitors walk through the history of the Dublin icon, they’ll learn about the design elements—like carvings, mosaics, and stained glass—that make Victorian pubs distinct.

"It’s also a celebration of Dublin pubs in general," assistant to the director of The Little Museum of Dublin's Jesse Carley told TheJournal.ie. "We have a little bit on many of the pubs you would think of, such as the Brazen Head, the oldest pub in Dublin and the wide variety of different kinds of pubs."

"A Little History of the Dublin Pub" will be accessible via small guided tours, with tickets available online and at the museum’s front desk. After the history lesson, visitors can further their education at one of the 1000 or so pubs around the city.