What is Humanarium at RCSI?

Updated

Humanarium is RCSI's public exhibition space and café at 118 St Stephen's Green, Dublin. It hosts a rolling programme of free exhibitions and events exploring health sciences and medical research, and it is open to everyone — the stated aim is to give the public a place to join conversations about how to live longer, healthier and happier lives. If you want to visit, attend an event, or simply see what's on before you go, the RCSI website's Humanarium section is the starting point, and it includes an introductory video about the space.

What you'll find there

Humanarium is described by RCSI as its "latest initiative" for bridging science, expertise and society. Three things define the offer:

  • Exhibitions and events — a rolling programme rather than a fixed collection, so what's on changes over time.
  • Free admission — RCSI describes the exhibitions and events as free; this applies to the Humanarium programme, not to other RCSI activities.
  • A café — the space combines the exhibition area with a café, so a visit can be a short stop or a longer one.

The subject matter is health sciences and medical research, presented for a general audience rather than a specialist one. The framing is conversational: the space is positioned as somewhere to talk about health and longevity, not a formal museum or a clinical facility.

Who it's for

Humanarium is explicitly public-facing. RCSI's description stresses that "it's a place for everyone," which distinguishes it from the university's teaching, research and surgical-training activities. That makes it relevant if you:

  • live in or are visiting Dublin and want a free, health-science-themed outing;
  • are curious about RCSI beyond its role as a medical and health sciences university;
  • want to attend a talk or event connected to medical research without an academic affiliation.

It is not a route to enrolment, clinical care or professional training — those sit under RCSI's separate education, research and surgery areas.

How to plan a visit or learn more

RCSI's homepage does not publish opening hours, a full event calendar or booking details for Humanarium. To get current information:

  1. Go to rcsi.com and open the Humanarium section (linked from the homepage feature and the "Learn more" link).
  2. Check the current exhibition or event programme there before travelling, since the programme rotates.
  3. Watch the short introductory video on that page if you want a sense of the space before visiting.
  4. Use the location — 118 St Stephen's Green — for route planning; it is on the Green in central Dublin.

Because the programme changes and the site does not list hours on the homepage, treat the Humanarium page itself as the authoritative source for what is running when you plan to go.

Where it fits in RCSI's wider work

Humanarium reflects the mission RCSI states for itself — "to educate, nurture and discover for the benefit of human health" — and its 2023–2027 strategy, which frames the university's contribution around education, research and service to society. The public exhibition space is the society-facing expression of that: research and health science translated into an accessible, free public setting rather than confined to lecture halls and laboratories. For a general audience, it is the most direct way to engage with RCSI's work without being a student, researcher or clinician.