Guinness Storehouse
Ireland's No. 1 tourist attraction! A day out with food, tours and Guinness!
Guinness - A Story of Optimism
The story of Guinness is a living one. It is one that started with such optimism that its founder, Arthur Guinness, signed a 9,000-year lease on St. James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin.
Arthur Guinness was just 34 when he signed the iconic 9,000-year Guinness lease, on a then-disused brewery site on 31 December 1759 for an annual rent of £45. It was here on this four-acre site where Arthur would hone his craft and build the global brand that Guinness is today.
The Harp - Ireland's National Identity
Guinness chose a distinctly Irish symbol for the core of its identity – the harp. The harp has been a heraldic symbol of Ireland since the 13th century. The Guinness harp emblem is based on the famous 14th-century ‘Brian Boru harp’, which remains on display at Trinity College Dublin today.
The Irish Free State adopted the same harp as its emblem when it separated from the United Kingdom in 1922. The sole difference is that the State had to face the harp in the opposite direction to avoid infringing on the Guinness trademark. The state symbol appears on the cover of Irish passports and the back of Irish coins.
Guinness continues to travel the world today, proudly displaying its heritage and identity through the harp on each label. Showing that home is truly where the harp is.
Tours and Experiences
Visit the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin City, to experience the history, heart and soul of one of Ireland’s most famous brands. Make your way through the Guinness Storehouse gates located in the heart of St James’s Gate, in Dublin City.
Explore seven floors of the Guinness Storehouse building, which was once the fermentation plant of the brewery.
Discover more about the ingredients, history and culture that tell the Guinness story before taking in the 360 degree views of Dublin City from one of Dublin’s highest vantage points, at the Gravity Bar. To your right, you will see the Wicklow Mountains, where Guinness sources its fresh Irish water for brewing. To the left, you will see the Phoenix Park and the Wellington Monument.
Tickets start at €20 and you can choose from a range of additional tours and experiences. Make your visit extra special with a tasting and storytelling journey, delving deeper into the origins and tastes of Guinness. It’s an unforgettable journey through the working brewery that has stood at St. James’s Gate for the past three centuries.
Advertising as Famous as the Brand Itself
The Guinness brand is often associated with striking advertising over the years. This evolution can be seen at the Guinness Storehouse, including some of the most famous campaigns from John Gilroy.
John Gilroy (1898-1985) was recruited by the S.H, Benson’s advertising agency in the 1925. Benson’s ran the first ever advertising campaign for Guinness in 1929. John Gilroy is the mastermind behind some of the most legendary Guinness campaigns. Two of which ran concurrently for nearly thirty years.
The idea of using animals to advertise Guinness occurred to Gilroy after visiting the circus. While watching a performing sea-lion he entertained the curious thought that the animal would be smart enough to balance a glass of Guinness on its nose! It became the concept for one of the world’s longest running advertising campaigns “My Goodness, My Guinness”.
The hapless zookeeper, a caricature of Gilroy himself, watched over the family of animals which included an ostrich swallowing a Guinness, glass and all, a pelican with a beak full of bottles, a tortoise, a lion, bear, crocodile, kangaroo, giraffe, polar bear, gnu, kinkajou, penguin and, of course, most famous of all, the toucan.
Good Guinness and Great Grub
Grub (or food as it’s otherwise known), is a central part of the Storehouse experience! From the coffee shop on the first floor to the restaurant hub on level five, the Guinness eateries are an essential ingredient of the unforgettable Guinness Storehouse experience. Many of the dishes served are inspired by Guinness itself — that will leave you satisfied whether you want a quick bite or you want to spend the afternoon enjoying a three-course meal.
Some snaps directly from the Guinness Storehouse
