Europa Experience officially inaugurated in Dublin

Tá an Éispéireas Europa oscaillte go hoifigiúil!

Today, the brand new Europa Experience in Dublin was officially inaugurated. Located on Chatham St, just off Grafton St and in the heart of the city centre, the Experience offers visitors an immersive and interactive space to learn more about our place in the European Union.

First opened to the public via a soft launch last October, the state-of-the-art facility was officially launched today with the ribbon being cut by Head of Office at the European Parliament Liaison Office (EPLO) in Dublin, Fearghas Ó Béara, Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne, and Head of the European Commission Representation in Ireland, Peter Power.

Also in attendance were MEPs Aodhán Ó Ríordáin and Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, representatives of embassies of EU member states, as well as students from St. Joseph’s Secondary School in Rush Co. Dublin, a participant in the European Parliament Ambassador School Programme (EPAS). President Roberta Metsola addressed attendees virtually with a pre-recorded message.

“This is your space, your European hub - to meet, shared ideas, hold events, debate, and get involved in Europe. I hope you’ll make the most of it,” President Metsola said.

“Whilst geography has placed this country at the threshold of our continent, your ambition and initiative has placed you at the heart of our union.”

“James Joyce summed it up best when he wrote: ‘To become deeply Irish, you must first become European’. For me, this expresses the true potential of this space. Because to be European means to make your voice heard, to be engaged in your community, and to be connected to our shared continent.”

“Thank you to all those who helped make this experience a reality, and who welcome visitors every day,” she continued.

Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne said: “The Europa Experience offers visitors the opportunity to explore the workings of the European Union from the heart of Dublin city.”

“I encourage everyone to visit this free of charge exhibition and learn more about how our shared Union works in practice. It is terrific to see that the Europa Experience is available in all 24 official EU languages, including our own first official language, Irish,” he added.

What is the Europa Experience?

The Europa Experience is a project consisting of specially curated multimedia spaces around Europe with interactive tools that offer direct and fascinating insight into how we work together at the European level to tackle today’s most important challenges. The first Experience opened in Berlin in 2016, and it is the Parliament’s ambition to have one in each capital city of the European Union. There are currently 14 Experiences, including in Dublin.

Open and accessible, entry to the Europa Experience in Dublin is free seven days a week and does not require tickets or booking. Large group visits (of over 10 people) are also possible via booking. An immersive Role Play game experience is also available at the Europa Experience, allowing participants to take on the role of a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and to gain a better understanding of the process by which EU laws are drawn up.

The Europa Experience Dublin is located on 11 Chatham Street, Dublin, D02 VP46 - adjacent to Grafton Street in the city centre. It is open Monday to Friday from 09:30 to 17:00, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00 to 18:00. The Europa Experience is also accessible for visitors with limited mobility and hearing.

For more information on the Europa Experience in Dublin, see here.

Multimedia Centre, see here.