Days Out NI
Heritage site Armagh

Armagh Robinson Library

Northern Ireland's oldest public library, free to walk into since 1771

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Check hoursMonday to Friday, 10am to 1pm and 2pm to…
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Armagh Robinson Library — Northern Ireland's oldest public library, free to walk into since 1771.

  • Getting in: Free admission, walk in during opening hours, no booking needed. Donations welcome. Guided tours by arrangement (group tour £15pp for three venues, or £5pp per venue).
  • Opening: Monday to Friday, 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm, all year round. Closed bank holidays and during group visits and special events.
  • Inside: Yes. You go up into the Georgian Long Room and view the collection in its display cases.
  • Dogs: Not stated, assume assistance dogs only inside a working historic library. Check before you go.
  • Parking: Not stated on the official site. On-street and city-centre car parks nearby. Check before you go.
  • Food: None on site. Cafés in Armagh city centre, a short walk away.
Plan your visit

See Swift's handwriting on the page

The library holds Jonathan Swift's personal copy of Gulliver's Travels, and you can see his own notes in the margins. He used it to mark where his London publisher had replaced his words, colours and whole sentences without asking, before the book went to print. Around it sit medieval manuscripts, incunabula printed before 1501, ancient and medieval coins, commemorative medals, and sulphur gems. The books line the Long Room walls from floor to ceiling, behind tall windows and under a galleried ceiling.

Free Founded 1771 Oldest public library in NI Swift's own Gulliver's Travels Georgian Long Room Walk in, no booking
Good to know before you go:

The library runs guided tours, talks and seasonal events through the year, and forms part of group tours of Armagh's cathedral quarter. Check what's on before you travel.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 👟Comfy shoesThere is usually a bit of walking, some steps and uneven older ground.
  • 📷A cameraThe history, the architecture and the setting are all worth capturing.
  • 💷A few poundsSome heritage sites are ticketed or have a shop and café — handy to have.
  • 💧Water and a snackNot every site has a café on hand, so pack a little something.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Getting in
Free admission, walk in during opening hours, no booking needed. Donations welcome. Guided tours by arrangement (group tour £15pp for three venues, or £5pp per venue).
Opening
Monday to Friday, 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm, all year round. Closed bank holidays and during group visits and special events.
Can you go inside
Yes. You go up into the Georgian Long Room and view the collection in its display cases.
Food
None on site. Cafés in Armagh city centre, a short walk away.
Dogs
Not stated, assume assistance dogs only inside a working historic library. Check before you go.
Parking
Not stated on the official site. On-street and city-centre car parks nearby. Check before you go.
Accessibility
The main collection is reached by a staircase, so the upper rooms may not suit wheelchair users. Contact the library before visiting to discuss access.
How long to allow
About an hour for the library, half a day with No 5 Vicars' Hill and the cathedral.
Address
43 Abbey Street, Armagh BT61 7DY
Questions

Before you go

Is it free to visit?
Free admission, walk in during opening hours, no booking needed. Donations welcome. Guided tours by arrangement (group tour £15pp for three venues, or £5pp per venue).
Can you go inside?
Yes. You go up into the Georgian Long Room and view the collection in its display cases.
When is it open?
Monday to Friday, 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm, all year round. Closed bank holidays and during group visits and special events.
Can I bring the dog?
Not stated, assume assistance dogs only inside a working historic library. Check before you go.
Where do I park?
Not stated on the official site. On-street and city-centre car parks nearby. Check before you go.
Getting there

Armagh Robinson Library is at 43 Abbey Street, Armagh BT61 7DY. Not stated on the official site. On-street and city-centre car parks nearby. Check before you go. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website See it on our map
Nearby

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The story

The story of Armagh Robinson Library

Archbishop Richard Robinson founded the library in 1771 in the heart of Armagh. He wanted his own collection of books and fine art shared with the public rather than locked away, so he paid for the building himself and gave over 8,000 books from his private library to start it. That makes it the oldest public library in Northern Ireland.

The building is Georgian, with a fine front door, an elegant staircase, and a Long Room lined with rare books from floor to ceiling beneath a galleried ceiling carried on cast-iron balustrades. Robinson's gift grew over the centuries into a collection of more than 40,000 printed works, over 355 manuscripts, thousands of museum objects and several thousand archival items, covering medicine, science, law, theology, history and travel.

Its best-known treasure is Jonathan Swift's own copy of Gulliver's Travels, annotated in Swift's hand. The notes show where his London publisher altered his text without permission before the first edition was printed. Alongside it are medieval manuscripts, early printed books, ancient and medieval coins and medals, and sulphur gems collected by later archbishops.

The library still works to Robinson's original purpose. The doors open free to the public on weekdays, the collection remains available for consultation, and the companion museum at No 5 Vicars' Hill carries the same idea into a smaller cabinet of curiosities nearby.