National Photographic Archive

There’s an amazing exhibition on at the moment, Portraits of the Invisible which reveals the hidden portraits of Irish service men and women during WW1. It’s a fascinating look at a collection of photographs which have been beautifully curated.
Worth a visit!

I’ve been past this place hundreds of times and it was only recently that I decided to stop it. Now, that I have checked it out I am disappointed that I hadn’t popped in sooner. I was also unaware that they change their exhibits quite frequently. I really enjoyed looking at the history of Ireland through photographs, dating as early as the 1900’s. It’s unreal looking at a horse drawn carriage walking through the streets of the city center, Westmoreland Street and O’Connell Bridge. Living in the age of technology and the now, sometimes we forget to think about what life used to be like. It’s small enough to walk through at your own pace (about 30 minute to an hour) but large enough to give you a real look into what life was in rural Ireland over the last century. I’d love to take family here next time they are in town.
And if you’re feeling really crazy, you can head into the Temple Bar markets on a Saturday afternoon and the National Photographic Archive afterwards. Who said there wasn’t anything free to do in Dublin!

Small but interesting.
The space looks more like a small gallery that would be suited for cocktail parties. The upstairs is awkward but the lower level is charming and offers a quaint space for entertaining as well as displays.
I understand the exhibits change every month or so.
The children of Ireland between the 1700’s and 1800’s exhibit (which I saw) was quite interesting but slim in content.
Very wealthy and the very poor.
Cross dressing and some action photography.
A lot of portraits.
A small glimpse into the country’s children… very small.

Now I love photos as much as the Next person, infact probably a bit more.
However, this place was tiny and cramped! Full of people blocking everyphoto.
I suppose when you go is hit and miss and the exhibitions change. The photos we saw were very very good, but the experience was ruined by the cramped conditions!

Currently there is a ‘power and privilege’ display of photos which are, overall, great.
Its pretty amazing to see how well some pictures from the 1800s can be kept so pristine. Its also pretty hilarious to see what people did (chased otters) and wore (massive hats). People will probably soon think that about us as well though.
There is a lot of space in the museum which I feel could be used better (but maybe that was just for this display).
Free! And free postcards! But you get a glare if you try to take more than 2 – 3.

A small gem in the middle of Temple Bar (directly on Meeting House Square) that often gets overlooked, especially as it is overshadowed by the Gallery of Photography. The National Photographic Archive does however host loads of great and FREE exhibtions, the current one being «Witness to War», an exhibition of pictures from the Irish War of Indepence and Civil War.

Anyone interested in Irish history will like the exhibition on display at the National Photographic Archive at Meeting House Square. Entitled ‘Witness to War’ the exhibition features photographs from the Irish Civil War and War of Independence as seen through the lens of W.D. Hogan who was a commercial photographer with a vip access to many major events.
This is a very educational exhibition, documenting when military troops entered Cork city, the burning of the Customs House in Dublin and numerous other significant events. You can view plenty of photographs of Michael Collins, like one showing him speaking to the masses in Cork in March 1922, only a few months before his death.
The exhibition is not only historically informative but a pleasure for the eye, portraying the life in the 1920s with photos of historical figures and ordinary people. I highly recommend a visit.
The exhibition runs until May 24.

Luckily, it has a lot more pictures in the storeroom, as there are only about 100 on show over the two floors. To see those that are hidden, you will need to make an appointment, bring your library card and ask at reception — there is also a secret knock.
The ones that are on public display are great — black and white images of poet Patrick Kavanagh celebrating Bloomsday and going back to the stony grey soil of his youth, character-​filled shots of traveller families from the 1950s, and photos of crumbling Georgian Dublin.

I spotted The National Photographic Archive for the first time last week. Is it new or have I been wandering past it unawares for years?
Part of the National Library of Ireland, the Archive is largely a storage warehouse of old photographs. Unfortunately, the good stuff hidden away in here can be accessed by appointment only, much like the national archives on Kildare Street.
The architecture of the building itself, situated on the corner of Meeting House Square (beside Eden restaurant), has won some prestigious design awards.
There’s a gallery area on the ground floor, with changing exhibitions drawing on the library’s collection of photos. There’s also a small shop in the reception area where postcards and books are for sale.

I’m a fan of this place, I frequently pop in to check out their exhibits. Currently they have work of the students of the Dublin Institute of Technology. Which highlights that they do on occasion show some contemporary work.
For most part it is historical, they recently had an interesting study of Irish rural life through the eyes of an American photographer, it was a very simple and enjoyable exhibit. The building itself is average size, there is also an upstairs. I like the size, it’s not overpowering and you don’t feel drained as a lot of big exhibits make you want to dash for the door after the third white room. They have timed it just right, plus you can’t beat the central location.
Oh and it’s free!

I am a great lover of Photographs and i love taking and looking at photos and i realli enjoying going here.
Where do i start well; National Photographic Archive is a growing collection of 600,000 photos which are shown in there. Some on the collections include the comprising postcards from the 1950s and 1960s, the Clonbrock Collection, over 2,000 glass plates from 1860 to 1930, and postcards from 1900 to 1940. Other attractions include aerial photos, topographical photos, photos of Dublin during 1915 to 1930 and photos related to railway transport. The facilities include a reading room, dark rooms and a small shop. Exhibitions are held regularly in the National Photographic Archive.