Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 7 May 1998

Vol. 490 No. 6

Written Answers. - National Museum.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

88 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the total number of locations in which items of cultural or historical interest are on display through the aegis of the National Museum at various venues throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10945/98]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera)

The main display of items of cultural or historical interest from the National Museum of Ireland collections is at the museum's four venues in Dublin at Kildare Street, Merrion Street, Merrion Row and Collins Barracks. A new outlet for the National Museum at Turlough Park House, Castlebar, County Mayo is at an advanced stage of planning. In addition, the National Museum of Ireland has an active policy of loaning material from the reserve collections for exhibitions both at home and abroad. The National Museum of Ireland has material on loan for display purposes at 43 locations throughout the country, North and South.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

89 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the extent to which artefacts are in storage and not available for public viewing; if she will list these collections; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10946/98]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera)

In answering this question I assume the artefacts referred to are those in the care and custody of collecting institutions and bodies under the direct aegis of my Department and primarily those artefacts which are suitable to be on public display in the normal course.

The main institutions under my aegis which are involved as a key part of their activity in the public display of artefacts are the National Museum of Ireland, the National Gallery of Ireland and the Irish Museum of Modern Art, and each of these institutions hold collections of material in storage which are not available for public display. It is in the nature of these collecting institutions that it is neither appropriate nor possible to have all the artefacts in their collections on public display at all times. In general, however, a significant proportion of the collections of these institutions, at any one time, would be available for some form of public viewing.

The main collection still in storage in the National Museum is the Folklife collection although a selection of material is now on display at the National Museum's new premises at Collins Barracks and some objects are on display, on loan, in various county museums. However, the development of a National Museum of Ireland Folklife Centre at Turlough Park House, Castlebar, County Mayo will ensure that a much fuller range of this collection will be available for public viewing. The geological collection of the National Museum is also in storage. However, it is planned to mount exhibitions drawn from this collection in a new exhibition gallery for earth sciences in the plans for the next phase of development at Collins Barracks. Much of the art and industrial collections of the museum are now on display at Collins Barracks. Key artefacts from the museums antiquities division are usually on public display. In relation to other artefacts held in storage selections are provided for public display from time to time as appropriate and as the theme of an exhibition requires. For instance, artefacts from the ethnographical collection are currently being displayed as part of a Spice Islands exhibition. In some cases reserve collections of the National Museum are also accessible to the public, particularly for the benefit of researchers. Viewing can be arranged by appointment.

In the case of the Irish Museum of Modern Art, its collection is shown on a rotational basis with the bulk of it being available for public viewing at the gallery in Kilmainham or at other exhibitions around the country in accordance with the museum's policy for the regions. Even those art works that are held in temporary storage can be made available to researchers by appointment.

The bulk of the National Gallery's collections are also available for public viewing on a rotational basis. Some exceptions are those works of art which may be undergoing conservation work at any given time or works which may be on loan to other galleries or institutions.