Europe Ireland Dublin How to Buy Tickets to the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin

How to Buy Tickets to the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin

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Whether it’s just for a few days or you’re doing a full-on road trip of Ireland, spending some time in Dublin is always a good idea. The Irish capital is loaded with attractions, from the cultural to the historical. And yet the most most visited tourist attraction in the city, one that finds its way onto most Dublin itineraries, is the Guinness Storehouse.

Visiting the Guinness Storehouse you’ll have the opportunity to learn everything you’ve ever wanted to learn about the iconic Irish stout and drink a few while you’re at it. The museum can be a lot of fun, but it helps to plan your visit in advance if you want to get the most from the experience. That’s why we’ve created this guide on how to buy tickets for the Guinness Storehouse, as organizing your Guinness Storehouse tickets is a crucial step in that planning.

Quick Answer – How to Buy Tickets to the Guinness Storehouse: Unless you like spending your vacation waiting in long lines, we highly recommended you buy your admission ticket to the Guinness Storehouse in advance here.

Best Ways to Get Tickets to the Guinness Storehouse

Since Guinness is one of the best things to do in Dublin and an internationally recognizable Irish institution, the Guinness Storehouse naturally draws a lot of visitors. This popularity has resulted in there being a variety of ways to get tickets to the attraction, based on how organized people are and what they want to do there. To help you understand all of this, we’ll lay out where to buy tickets for the Guinness Storehouse for each of these types of visits.

1. Line Up in Person (Not Recommended)

While it’s not the approach that we would recommend, one way to buy tickets to the Guinness Storehouse is to do it in person at the door. There are actually a couple of reasons why this isn’t a great idea, but the main one is that it’s a poor use of your time.

Like at many tourist attractions, you’ll be met with a line if you wait to get tickets until you arrive, and it can get quite long during busy periods. Tickets for each time slot are also limited, so you may find you have to wait until the next available entry time. The other reason not to do this is that you’ll miss out on the discounts offered for online purchases, meaning you’re likely to be wasting both time and money.

2. Book Online (Recommended)

We recommend booking tickets to the Guinness Storehouse online well before you plan to visit. This approach is quick and easy to do, saving you time in Dublin by letting you choose exactly when you want to visit and avoid waiting in line. That way, you can plan your itinerary around your booking and spend more of your time actually seeing the sights of Dublin.

Skip-the-line tickets for the Guinness Storehouse can be booked through the attraction’s official website. It is possible to change the scheduled time of your visit up to 72 hours before your booking through the website, but tickets are nonrefundable and may cost more if you choose an in-demand time.

A more flexible option is to book your tickets through this link, as these tickets allow you to cancel up to 24 hours in advance and receive a full refund, and only cost a little more. Unfortunately, this option only allows you to get the basic ticket, not any of the ones with added inclusions.

3. Book a Guided Tour

Tourists hoping to learn and experience as much as possible from their visit should look at doing a guided tour of Guinness Storehouse. Since guided tours provided through the storehouse and brewery are currently unavailable due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you can still tour the Guinness Storehouse with this guided tour. You’ll learn lots about this famous beer at the storehouse, as well as get a tour of the Jameson’s Whiskey Distillery.

4. Purchase a Dublin Pass

A useful option to be aware of if you plan on doing a lot of sightseeing in Dublin is the Dublin Pass. This tourist pass is similar to other city passes found in popular tourist destinations, in that it combines entry to a bunch of different attractions at a competitive price. With the Dublin Pass, you get entry not only to the Guinness Storehouse, but also the Jameson Distillery Bow St. Experience, Little Museum of Dublin, and Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. The pass even comes with a one-day ticket for the city’s Hop-on Hop-off Bus.

One thing to know when using the Dublin Pass is that you’ll still need to arrange your entry day and time in advance.

The Guinness Storehouse Brewery at St. James Gate, Dublin Ireland
© littlenySTOCK / shutterstock.com

Useful Information for Visiting the Guinness Storehouse

What’s the Best Time to Visit the Guinness Storehouse?

When planning to see a wildly popular tourist attraction like the Guinness Storehouse, it helps to pay attention to when you plan on visiting. While weather and daylight won’t impact your enjoyment here, sharing it with a crowd full of people might.

For an attraction like this, with its focus on drinking, it makes sense that the busiest days to visit are Friday and the weekend. Instead, try to go on weekdays like Wednesday and Thursday, as they’re normally much less busy. Midafternoon is generally a good time of day to visit as interest tends to build later in the day.

As for when during the year to go, summer is the peak tourist season in Ireland, so avoiding June through August is recommended.

Guinness Storehouse Hours of Operation

The Guinness Storehouse is open every day of the week year round, except for December 24th, 25th, and 26th. Opening hours are from 10:00 to 19:00 Sunday to Friday, and from 10:00 to 20:00 on Saturdays. Last entry to the storehouse is always two hours before closing.

How to Get to the Guinness Storehouse

Although the Guinness Storehouse isn’t situated in the very heart of the city, visitors shouldn’t have too much difficulty getting there. You can certainly walk there from other popular Dublin tourist attractions like Dublin Castle and Saint Patrick’s Cathedral; it should only take 20 minutes to walk there from the city center.

However, you also can rely on some easy public transport options. James’s Luas Stop is the nearest tram stop to the Guinness Storehouse on the Red line that passes right through the city center. To take the bus there, your best option is to take the 123 bus to the James Street Stop (stop 140) from D’Olier Street or Dame Street.

Interior of the Guinness museum in Dublin.
© Anton_Ivanov / shutterstock.com

How Do Guinness Storehouse Tickets Work?

Because there are a few options for what’s included in tickets to the Guinness Storehouse, it’s worth spending a little time explaining how they work. Finding the right Guinness Storehouse tickets for you will mean deciding how much of the attraction you want to experience.

When purchased from the official website, there are four different levels of tickets available. Each ticket type adds an extra experience to what was included in the previous ticket level. The base ticket includes a self-guided experience through the exhibits of the Guinness Storehouse, as well as a complimentary Guinness beer or nonalcoholic drink at the Gravity Bar.

The first inclusion is a Stoutie – an extra Guinness beer with your selfie on the head – on top of the base ticket. Next, you have a ticket that adds the chance to visit the Guinness Academy, where you learn how to pour the perfect pint and get a certificate. The final level tops off your visit with the Connoisseur Experience, which features a tasting session in a private bar.

Tickets bought through the official website can be booked up to four or five months in advance. When booking, you will need to select a scheduled entry time from the available fifteen minute time slots. You will receive your tickets by email once your purchase is confirmed.

How Much Do Tickets for the Guinness Storehouse Cost?

There are two main things that will impact the prices for Guinness Storehouse tickets. One is the type of ticket you choose to get for its included activities. The other is less predictable, as ticket prices vary depending on the demand for a certain day. This is why all ticket prices are listed as the minimum price and may be more expensive for the day you wish to visit.

Since there are several types of tickets to the Guinness Storehouse, we’ll just cover the cost for the general ticket here. General admission costs €22 for adults, €19 for students and seniors over 65, and €10 children aged 5 to 17. Children aged four and under enter free. There are also family tickets available, which cost €54 for two adults and two children.

Best Hotels for the Guinness Storehouse

If the Guinness Storehouse is a priority of yours during your trip in Dublin, you may want to stay nearby. Because it’s not quite in the center of Dublin, you won’t find as much accommodation available in the immediate neighborhood, but there are plenty of great options within comfortable walking distance. To save you some time doing your own research, allow us to present a few worthy suggestions.

Treat yourself to a special and glamorous stay by booking yourself in at the Fitzwilliam Hotel. This five-star luxury hotel is one of the finest in central Dublin, boasting spacious rooms with a colorful décor, as well as a bar, restaurant, gym, and salon.

For somewhere to stay that is both comfortable and affordable, the Hendrick Smithfield is a great pick that’s just a 10-minute walk away. Rooms at this modern hotel may not be huge, but they’re all beautifully appointed and have all the essential amenities you need. Another option for midrange accommodation is to look at our guide to the best Airbnbs in Dublin.

A great option for those on a budget is Garden Lane Backpackers, less than a 10-minutes walk from the Guinness Storehouse. This clean and friendly hostel offers tourists dorms and rooms, a continental breakfast, a shared kitchen, and a nice terrace. For other great hostels, be sure to check out our guide to hostels in Dublin.

Pints of Guinness in the museum in Dublin.
© Anton_Ivanov / shutterstock.com

Dining at the Guinness Storehouse

One thing that travelers may not realize is that the Guinness Storehouse not only has a bar, it also features two dining establishments: Arthur’s Bar and 1837 Bar & Brasserie, both found on the fifth floor of the building. While you’ll need a ticket to the Guinness Storehouse to visit Arthur’s Bar and the Gravity Bar, it is possible to book a table at 1837 Bar & Brasserie without one.

Security Process at the Guinness Storehouse

For a stress-free visit without issues, it’s worth knowing what the rules are at the Guinness Storehouse.

Given that the Guinness Storehouse is a venue where alcohol is served, the main rule relates to the legal drinking age. While there is no age restriction on entering the attraction, only visitors over the legal drinking age of 18 may drink or purchase alcohol. Those under 18 will be served soft drinks instead and must be accompanied by an adult. Entry may be refused to visitors who appear to be under the influence of alcohol.

Upon entering the Guinness Storehouse, visitors may have to go through a security screening similar to that of an airport and have their belongings checked. Weapons, sharp items, and dangerous items are not allowed inside. Large packages and suitcases cannot be brought inside either; however, there is a luggage storage facility for you to stow luggage and bags during your visit.

Visiting the Guinness Storehouse With a Disability

The Guinness Storehouse has put in place various measures to assist visitors with disabilities and accessibility needs. These include various accessibility features, as well as providing free entry for one carer or helper for guests with a disability. The establishment makes special warning to people with photosensitive epilepsy that there are flickering or flashing lights in use at the attraction.

Guests with mobility concerns will find an entrance on Market Street with elevator access suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs. Besides elevator access, there are also wheelchair-friendly ramps that enable complete access to the exhibits across the seven stories. Should you require it, mobility wheelchairs are available for use at the information desk.

Visitors with visual or hearing impairments will find multimedia guides at the Audio Guide desk, including multimedia guides with text, audio, and international sign language descriptions. Guide dogs and service dogs are allowed inside the attraction.

FAQ – Facts About the Guinness Storehouse

What Is the Guinness Storehouse?

Replacing the historic Guinness Museum that closed, the Guinness Storehouse is a seven-story tourist attraction that offers exhibits and experiences related to Guinness beer.

How Old Is the Guinness Storehouse?

The Guinness Storehouse opened its doors to the public in 2000.

When Was the Guinness Storehouse Built?

The building that now houses the Guinness Storehouse was built in 1902.

Why Was the Guinness Storehouse Built?

The building for the Guinness Storehouse originally housed the fermentation factory plant for the St. James’s Gate Brewery, the brewery for Guinness.

Where Is the Guinness Storehouse Located?

The Guinness Storehouse is located in the Liberties neighborhood, south of the River Liffey, in western Dublin.

You should now be well prepared to visit this fun and entertaining Dublin attraction. Hopefully you see how important it is to know what your options are for visiting and why getting skip-the-line Guinness Storehouse tickets is such a good idea.

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