Group Visits

Self-guided Tours

Explore the library at your own pace with a self-guided visit, for our standard admission fee. Your group will be welcomed by our staff and given an introduction.  Information leaflets are available in eight languages and staff are always available to answer your questions.

How many?

We can host a maximum of 25 people per group. If you have more than this, we will divide your group so that you get the best attention from our staff. Please let us know in advance so that we can look after you.

For a small additional fee, you can experience a guided tour of the library with a member of our famously friendly and informative staff (€10 full/€5 students/seniors).

This takes 20-30 minutes and can be longer or shorter to suit your schedule.

You will have a lively and engaging experience as a member of staff regales you with stories from the library’s past and present. The exhibition and mini-figure hunt will be available at the tour’s end and your guide will answer any follow up questions you may have.

This tour will give you a sense of the precious nature of the building and the books and manuscripts in our collection.

How Many?

We recommend a maximum of 25 people for each group. If you wish to bring more, please advise us in advance and we can split the group so that you have the best experience.

An eighteenth-century library full of history, ancient volumes with curious contents, fascinating exhibitions all year round, stories of famous readers and writers, minifigures for children to seek, a hidden courtyard garden, and perhaps a resident ghost…

Visiting adults often recall their own school visits!

We offer school tours and activities tailored for different ages.

School groups are admitted free. Commercial language schools do not qualify for free entry and are charged at the student rate.

A guided tour of the library with one of our expert curators, plus an exclusive private viewing of rare books and manuscripts chosen by the curator.

During your tour, the curator will provide insights into the library’s past and present. The tour will be tailored to your schedule and will last from 40 to 60 minutes. To give you the best experience, we accept a maximum of 6 people for this type of tour.

A fee of €1000 applies, which will go to support research and conservation in the library.

You will be met at the front door by our Director (or Deputy Director, if the Director is not available). Your group will be the only people in the library for the tour, and we will hand-pick a selection of rare books and manuscripts for you to view with the Director based on your personal interests. You will be amazed at the range of exciting materials we can show you.

The tour and viewing will last from 60-90 minutes. We recommend a maximum of six people but can discuss your requirements.

The fee for this premium experience is available on application, and will depend upon the group’s schedule, requirements and interests. All monies raised are used to support research and conservation in the library.