Of course I visited the Irish Emigration Museum when I was in Dublin. I suppose it is a well-known fact that many Irish people have left the island to settle elsewhere, and this museum chronicled the history of this event. I therefore spent a few hours in this very educational and informative museum, learning about the Irish diaspora.
When I was living in the United States, I encountered plenty of Americans who said that they had Irish roots. I on the other hand, didn't have ancestors that were immigrants, or at least that is what I believe, but rather, I am the first-generation immigrant. So for me, it was very interesting to see this perspective, this idea that one's family at one point, came from a place very far away from what one would generally consider as home. And sure enough, while I was visiting this museum, several of the other visitors were Americans who were visiting and wanting to learn about their family's past.
The museum is arranged such that there are subsequent galleries that the visitor goes through. And each gallery has a particular theme, explaining how that theme was realised in the context of the Irish emigration and diaspora. I learned a lot in this visit, from the motives why Irish people left their island, to the various cultural elements that they have brought with them into the places they have settled, to the contemporary lives and communities that are found in the areas they have immigrated to. If you're interested in Irish history, then this museum is definitely a must-see.
