Museum of Literature Ireland
A sympathetic showcase of Ireland’s literary gold
Located within the renowned UCD Newman House on St Stephen’s Green, Dublin, the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI) was designed as a celebration of Ireland’s literary greats from over the centuries, showcasing the country’s written heritage in all its glory via immersive exhibitions with an international appeal. From early medieval storytelling to the finest contemporary writers of today, the museum would be home to a host of literary gold from the National Library of Ireland’s collection, including James Joyce’s’ original notes and his Ulysses.
The museums display concept was a minimal design to allow the literature to take centre stage, which meant exceptional execution and attention to detail was required to fulfil the brief. Having worked with Marcon Fit Out on numerous successful and ambitious projects already, Leach were thrilled to be appointed as the trusted graphic supplier to bring this elegant vision to life.
Approximately sixty specialist suppliers from four different continents were reportedly involved in this vast scheme, including local construction firm Alghanim International who led on the building works; museum fit-out professionals Beck; London-headquartered designers Cultural Innovations; Design Project Management; and the internationally-renowned creative display experts from UK-headquartered Leach. The much talked about Cultural Centre would comprise 22 very different galleries across a 22,000m² exhibition – and Leach was the only company appointed to work across all 22.
The simplicity of the museum’s design meant that Leach’s major focus was on precision, detail, and high-definition production – even more than usual. Rigorous quality checks were key to maintaining the required standard throughout, so a dedicated and experienced project manager was assigned to oversee the entire project, control individual processes, and therefore minimise risk to delivery.
Leach’s role in the project involved the production of over 340 graphics, including:
The size of the Tyvek roll required to produce the paper banners was a very wide, non-standard size. Leach procured the only roll in the UK at this size and printed the artwork; following which the visual was altered by the designer at the last minute meaning the banners needed to be reprinted.
Having none of the Tyvek left, Leach scoured Europe and located a roll, but it was 6000m2! We had it shipped from France, converted to the right size, reprinted with the new artwork, and shipped over to Dublin in time for install – it was certainly down to the wire for getting each component ready in time for the VIP opening!
Working closely with all stakeholders enabled valuable communication throughout the project. Changes to designs were shared in good time which meant Leach could react promptly to organise the delivery of additional materials and a re-print.
The Museum of Literature Ireland opened its doors to the public in September 2019 and the response has been incredible. MoLI has since been shortlisted for several high-profile awards, and has so far won the following:
