The Fraumünster was built in the 13th century to replace a convent for noblewomen, which had been there since 853. It has been greatly modernized since then. Among other things, the artist Marc Chagall designed the stained-glass windows in 1970. Admission is free and guided tours are available. The church is at Fraumunsterplatz, 1-211-4100, and is open Monday-Saturday from 9 am-12:30 pm and 2-6 pm; Sunday after mass until 4 pm in the winter and until 6 pm in the summer. Fraumunsterplatz, CH-8001 Zürich. 1-211-4100, fax 1-221-2078.

At the Museum of Decorative Arts & History, displays cover everything from folklife to silver ceramics and glassware to weapons and costume. It’s housed in the beautifully restored Collins Barracks and will entertain and enthrall you for hours. There are special events and temporary exhibitions, plus a café and book and gift shop. Guided tours available.

The museum is housed in the former Collins Barracks away from the center, off Ellis Quay, across the river from Heuston Station.

The Natural History Museum, founded in 1857, is quaint and delightful. It houses a collection of animals from all over the world, some now extinct. The building itself, faced in granite, is designed to harmonize with the National Gallery on the other side of Leinster House. Personal favorites are the rabbits and hares, the grizzly bear, the basking shark and the giant Irish elk. Anyone interested in fishing will love these exhibits. Guided tours available. There’s a book and gift shop.

At the Archaeology and History Museum you can learn about the country’s history and see examples of artifacts, including gold ornaments from the Bronze Age, hoards dating from the Celtic Iron Age, as well as some of the most famous Christian treasures – among them the Ardagh Chalice, the Tara Brooch and the Clonmacnoise Crozier. One of the more interesting displays is Ten Years Collecting, in which a selection of items discovered by the public are shown in labeled boxes – you lift the lid to take a look. Guided tours available. There’s a café as well as a book and gift shop.

The National Gallery of Ireland is on Merrion Square with a recently built extension, the MillenniumWing, and a second entrance on Clare Street. Admission is free, except for special exhibitions. It has 54 galleries and more than 11,000 works of art, including many examples of Western European art and the most important collection of Irish art. Free public tours are offered on Saturday at 3 pm and Sunday at 2, 3 and 4 pm; there’s also a series of events, and a free brochure gives details.

Email: artgall@eircom.ie.

The Guinness Storehouse, St. James’ Gate, is where you learn all about how the “dark stuff” is made and the history of the brewery spanning more than 250 years. Visits end in the Sky Bar with a glass of Guinness and a wonderful view of the city.

Christ Church Cathedral is Dublin’s oldest building, erected in 1038 by the Danish King Sitric, although most of what remains is Norman. Services take place at least three times a day, and visitors of all denominations or none are welcome to attend. Small donation requested. Guided tours and leaflets available.

Drimnagh Castle was, until 1954, one of the oldest continually inhabited castles in Ireland, and is an outstanding example of an old feudal stronghold. It is the only Irish castle still to be surrounded by a flooded moat, a very picturesque feature, described in 1780 as a “very deep ditch of water supplied from the Green Hills.” It is now stocked with fish. The castle, built of local grey limestone, consists of a restored Great Hall and medieval undercroft, a tall battlement tower with lookout posts, and other separate buildings, including stables, old coach, dairy and folly tower.

The Universum Bremen Science Center is an interactive museum, housed in a stunning futuristic building. There are more than 250 hands-on exhibits here, covering over 4,000 square meters of space, which draw adults and children alike, to the tune of nearly 500,000 visitors each year. The center opened to the public in 2000.

Photo: Javier Carro (Creative Commons).

The Großer Garten, a large English-style garden, lies largely to the east of the Old Town. Its history dates back to 1676 but the current layout is late 19th century. It is a favored place of relaxation and includes a zoo, botanical garden, open-air stage, and a pleasure palace.