As part of Open House Dublin Festival of Architecture we invite you to join us on Sunday 20th October for an audio described and tactile tours at the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI), 26 York Street. These tours, designed for blind and visually impaired visitors, invite you to explore architecture through an immersive hands-on experience.

Touch and Explore: Feel detailed models of the facade, floor plan and ornamental details that bring these buildings to life

Expert Guidance: Guides will provide clear and vivid descriptions throughout the tours adding to your experience

These tours have been developed with and will be led by Emilie Conway, vocal Jazz Artist & disability activist consultant. The tours will include tactile models of the facade, floor plans and the ornaments of the different rooms developed by architect Tadgh Charles.

About the building

Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI), 26 York Street: a state-of-the-art building that puts Ireland at the forefront of pioneering developments in the delivery of healthcare research and education. Spread over ten floors – six above ground and four subterranean, the building respects the Georgian Dublin area that surrounds it. RCSI‘s 26 York Street was the winner of the Public Choice category at the RIAI Irish Architecture Awards and was commended in the Universal Design category, RIAI Architecture Awards 2018.

About the tour guides

Emilie Conway is a Vocal Jazz Artist and accredited art psychotherapist with the Irish Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy. Guide and facilitator of tours for visitors who are visually impaired at the RHA Gallery and the National Gallery of Ireland. Find more information at: https://www.emilieconway.ie/

Tickets can be booked by calling or texting 089 479 8085 or by email at bookings@architecturefoundation.ie.

Please email or phone us regarding your access needs or any questions you may have.

Wheelchair accessible
Accessible Toilets
Assistance Dogs welcome
Sensory Rooms (designated areas that individuals with sensory issues can use to retreat to when feeling overstimulated)

There are wheelchair accessible doors into the building, and a wheelchair accessible turnstile

Lifts are available for access to each floor; plus disabled toilets are located on each floor. There will be a designated quiet space in the building, and a first aid / lactation room available. The Desmond amphitheater has spaces for wheelchair users.