On one of my first ventures into Dublin, I noticed the rich influence of music throughout the city. There were musical references such as mosaics of Bono from the group U2, bar and street names, Irish music pub crawls, and even hotels with a musical inspiration The Gibson Hotel, for one.  To further explore the music scene, I was fortunate enough to get a tour of the Irish Rock and Roll Museum Experience.

The museum is located in the Temple Bar District and its hard to miss. Its a big red building with not just music memorabilia on the inside, but also painted walls and musician photos on the outside. The museum has a plethora of artifacts, photos, legendary concert stages, backstage areas, and some wax figures of Irish international musicians.

Candid shots of many of the Irish legends line the walls of the halls throughout the building.

I loved the U2 room and seeing the 1987 Cardiff Arms Park poster for the Joshua Tree tour (I wish I could have been there). They even had a jacket on display from Michael Jackson for reasons given in the tour. The exhibits that included ticket stubs, original records, clothing and more from the older rock and rollers like Thin Lizzy, Van Morrison, David Bowie, Phil Lynott, and Rory Gallagher to the newer groups like Sinead OConnor, The Script or Gavin James.

U2 memorabilia.

I enjoyed the hour-long tour with our guide, Dave, who was very knowledgeable on the way rock and roll started in Ireland. It also included a cool short movie about the significant Irish musicians. We even got to dress up and play drums and guitars which was good fun.

One of the best parts of the museum which adds to its tangible history, is that it still houses functioning rehearsal spaces and a nightclub. The Button Factory offers the Crowbar with craft beer and a musical venue for bands and artist to play in front of a live audience. Temple Lane Recording Studios are also available for tour if they aren't being used at the time. Many records were produced here where artists like Rihanna and The Script have recorded in the past.

This tour was a great way to start my adventures in Ireland and is definitely a stop for every rock fan, musician or music lover visiting Dublin.