What is the Book of Kells?
Ireland’s famous Book of Kells is a 1,200 year old illustrated manuscript that depicts the four Gospels of the Old Testament.
Written in Latin and filled with Celtic artwork, the Book of Kells is a must for history buffs and readers alike, demonstrating some of the finest examples of medieval art.
In order to protect the structural integrity of the book, only two pages are shown at any given time. The pages are flipped every 12 weeks, so each visitor’s experience tends to be slightly different.
For those looking to see the book in more detail, the full manuscript is available digitally.
The Book of Kells is displayed at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, and is available to visit for guests around the world.
What Type of Admission Should I Get at the Book of Kells?
There are several types of admission tickets, but the most popular option is the standard Book of Kells Experience which allows access to the Book of Kells, the Old Library, and the new digital display in the Red Pavilion. This basic admission will cost €25 per person.
There are also several more expensive options that include a guided tour of the Book of Kells and Trinity College itself.
What is the Book of Kells Experience?
Upon entering the Book of Kells Experience, visitors first walk through a hall filled with enlarged prints of the Book of Kell’s pages, accompanied by informative notes about their subjects.
I’ll be honest- I didn’t find this part to be particularly engaging, but other visitors seemed to be enjoying it!
After passing through this hall, visitors come across the Book of Kells, sat alone in a glass case- the only item in the room.
Having been kicking myself for nearly a decade for skipping the Book of Kells on my last visit to Ireland, I had built up the manuscript in my mind to be huge! I was surprised to see that it was instead a fairly normal sized book. That’s what made it so easy to transport, I suppose.
I didn’t see the most exciting of pages on my visit, but there was a plaque describing the content of the page and the symbolism of the illustrations which was a nice touch.
Immediately after the Book of Kells, visitors are greeted by the Old Library, one of the most beautiful libraries in the world.
The barrel-vaulted Long Room is a sight to behold, with endless bookshelves that stack up to the ceiling.
Keep in mind that most of the books in the library are removed for restoration until approximately 2028.
Don’t miss the Trinity College harp on display in these halls! This instrument is one of the oldest surviving examples of medieval harps in the area and was used as inspiration for Ireland’s coat of Arms- and the Guinness logo!
On my visit, we were lucky enough to see the Gaia installation- a huge rotating Earth suspended amongst the stacks- which was a nice consolation prize considering that most of the bookshelves were empty.
Keep in mind that this area is typically extremely crowded- don’t expect to get a clear photo of the library without a few photo bombers!
Bafflingly, there were also more than a few people taking a nap on some of the benches in this hall during my visit. I suppose they were fresh of their flight, but I can’t say I’ve ever seen that before!
Although it may feel out of the way, don’t skip the digital experience in the Red Pavilion. The 360 projection that tells the story of the history of the Book of Kells is excellent- one of my favorite parts of the experience!
Finally…was it worth it?
As good as it felt to finally scratch the itch of seeing one of Ireland’s most famous tourist attractions, I did feel that it was a little overhyped.
Bookish visitors and fans of history will, of course, still enjoy their experience, but for those only casually interested in the Book of Kells- skip it (and the admission fee!) and head over to Marsh’s Library instead.
For only €8, visitors can see another historic library at a fraction of the cost (and with a fraction of the crowds).
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