Described by Lonely Planet as ‘not just the best museum in Ireland but one of the best in Europe’, the Chester Beatty is the pre-eminent Irish museum promoting the appreciation and understanding of world cultures with holdings of manuscripts, rare books, and other treasures from Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and Asia. An engaging and welcoming space, visitors from Ireland and overseas will find permanent and temporary exhibitions, an intercultural learning programme and a broad variety of public activities for all ages and backgrounds. A vibrant National Cultural Institution, the Chester Beatty also reaches out to the culturally diverse communities in Ireland. By drawing upon and interpreting the wonderful collections, the museum actively engages with the newest members of our society. Once the private library of Sir Alfred Chester Beatty (1875 – 1968), a successful American mining engineer, collector and philanthropist, the Chester Beatty is also today a research library for scholars from all over the world. Our on-site Silk Road Café provides the perfect rest-stop during your visit. Based on Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine, with a focus on home cooking and using only the freshest ingredients, the dishes served reflect the global reach of our collections - with Middle Eastern, North African, Mediterranean, vegetarian and celiac friendly dishes served on a daily basis.