Inside the centre
Explorium is an indoor science and activity centre on Blackglen Road, in the hills above Sandyford, Dublin 18. It opened in 2018 as Ireland’s National Sport and Science Centre. The point is that you touch, pull, pedal and press almost everything. Exhibits cover physics and engineering, with gravity rooms that scramble your sense of level, a bed of nails you can lie on, a Tesla coil and a maker’s lab for building and tinkering. A sport area adds a robot goalkeeper for penalty shootouts and F1 car simulators.
The centre splits into parts that suit different ages, and younger and older children want different things here. Choose the part that suits your group before booking.
Choose a ticket
- Junior Explorium is designed for children aged 2–7 and accompanying adults. It has its own ticket and timed entry, with softer, smaller-scale play.
- Science is recommended from age 8. Younger children may enjoy some exhibits with supervision. Choose it for hands-on science and sport demonstrations.
- Activities such as climbing or virtual reality have their own sessions and requirements. Check the age, height and supervision rules for what you want to book.
The activities that cost extra
Some of the biggest draws are booked and paid for on top of admission, including urban climbing walls, a high climb, an indoor caving challenge, a VR planetarium with a Moon walk, a VR roller-coaster and a G-Force bike that loops a full 360 degrees. Each runs to set times and has its own rules, so check the current age, height and weight limits on the operator’s site.
This is where the bill climbs. Reviews describe Explorium as dear once the add-ons stack up. Check current prices and whether every activity you want is included on the operator’s booking page, and work out your budget before you go, or you’ll be saying no a lot at the desk.
Getting there
Explorium is a drive-to attraction off the M50, and the operator lists free on-site parking with accessible bays. For public transport, check current routes and timetables before you travel, as the centre sits up in the hills above Sandyford and the walk from the nearest Luas stop is uphill.
The operator’s FAQ explains the zones, tickets, access and parking. Book online before you travel and use the booking page for your date, because hours vary by zone and season and the Junior Explorium runs in timed slots.
Is it worth it
Explorium is best for families with children old enough to work the exhibits and young enough to be thrilled by them. Allow at least two to three hours; committed children will fill a half-day. Being wholly indoors makes it a dependable rainy-day fallback when the nearby hills are washed out.
The honest caveat, beyond the price, is noise. At weekends and during the school holidays the main floor can be packed and loud, some exhibits are inevitably out of order at any given time, and the youngest children can find it overwhelming. A weekday morning in term time is likely to be calmer.
If you’d rather be outside, you’re in the right corner of Dublin for it. Ticknock Forest and its mountain-bike trails are minutes up the same road, Three Rock Mountain rises just behind, and Fernhill Park at Stepaside is a short drive north. Pair a morning indoors with an afternoon on the hill and you’ve a full day without moving more than a few kilometres.
A final tip
Book ahead and, if you can, choose the first slot of the day, especially in the school holidays, when the exhibits are likely to be quieter. Check the operator’s booking page for how climbing and other add-ons are booked.