Collins Barracks

The museum & the collection

Set within a historic 300-year-old military barrack in central Dublin, the National Museum of Ireland – Collins Barracks presents the newly reimagined Changing Ireland Galleries. This permanent exhibition brings unprecedented access to Ireland’s rich 20th and 21st century history, illustrated by delicate personal items to large cultural icons. The museum’s mission to engage audiences with diverse perspectives and inclusive storytelling set the stage for a highly collaborative and innovative showcase project.

The assignment & the challenges

As partner for the display solutions, Meyvaert designed, produced and installed 38 custom showcases, including wall-standing and recessed cases tailored to the exhibition’s narrative, curatorial and security requirements. 

We translated the architects’ ambitious concept into a fully engineered showcase solution, refining the initial design during the development phase so it could be realised to our high technical and conservation standards. Integration with the complex setworks required precise coordination, as each showcase was embedded within bespoke architectural elements. Additionally, the exhibition demanded a highly diverse palette, with 14 custom colours for internal and external finishes, all of which passed the strict Oddy testing procedure.

Managing the logistics of this project gave us valuable new experience. The gallery, located on the third floor of a historic building with narrow staircases and restricted access, made the transport of large glass panels and profiles impossible through conventional routes.

The solultions & the result

In response to the museum’s aspirations and the building’s architecture, we engineered solutions that turned constraints into innovations. We devised a method for delivering large showcase components: we erected a scaffold outside the building and used a teleport to lift the components onto it, then guided them through a third-floor window using a custom trolley and manual stacker system. This entire operation was designed in-house and approved by Irish health and safety inspectors.

Our team refined the display cases to provide stable, secure and user-friendly access while integrating seamlessly with the setworks and the historic architecture of the barracks building. Meyvaert also introduced a new technique to neatly finish PVC foamboard panel edges, improving both durability and aesthetic appeal.

The result is a gallery defined by bold colours, generous viewing angles, and elegant case integration, all aligned with the exhibition’s dynamic and multifaceted storytelling.