Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI)

A partnership between University College Dublin and the National Library of Ireland, the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI) is a new landmark cultural institution in the heart of Ireland’s capital city. Named for James Joyce’s muse Molly Bloom and picturesquely located on the southside of St Stephen’s Green in one of Dublin’s finest historic houses, MoLI celebrates our internationally-renowned literary culture and heritage from the past to the present, inspiring the next generation to create, read and write. MoLI was recognised as one of number of ‘inspiring examples which truly contribute to building a more beautiful, sustainable, and inclusive Europe’ according to Cecilia Bartoli, President of Europa Nostra, upon the project receiving a Euopean Heritage Award/ Europa Nostra Award in 2023 for 'Citizen’s Engagement and Awareness Raising'. Immersive multimedia exhibitions, priceless artefacts (including Joyce’s own ‘Copy No.1 of Ulysses’), lectures, performances, cutting-edge children’s education programmes, historic house tours, digital broadcasting, research facilities and a café set in one of the city’s most beautiful and tranquil gardens makes the Museum of Literature Ireland a major contribution to the local and international literary landscape.

Conservation

Newman House is the site of the foundation of University College Dublin by John Henry Newman and has close links with James Joyce who attended UCD as a student. The aims of the project were to develop a world class standard ‘Ulysses Exhibition’, integrate Newman House into a wider city context – opening doors and engaging with the public, and weave the three buildings together into a better functioning integral whole.

The scheme has been designed in such a way that the new works are to the rear of the buildings have minimal impact on the historic fabric. The main visible architectural intervention is the creation of a new stair and lift that replaces an existing external steel staircase. The new core & link are clad in glass with an interstitial veil of copper filigree. This solves in one single surgical intervention a host of practical issues associated with creating an exhibition centre at Newman House. It provides a museum quality stair and lift that connects all levels of the exhibition, cafe and shop as well as providing Universal access & resolving fire safety issues across all three buildings.

The materials are modern, with a clear contemporary expression, while remaining sympathetic in tone with the varied colour of the historic brick façades. The copper behind the glass gives a hint of texture to the glazed elevation. The vaulted basement areas of no.s 85 & 86 were renovated to accommodate a new cafe and shop that open out onto the south facing courtyard. A new set of steps link the courtyard to the garden and the Iveagh gardens beyond.