Russborough House, Blessington

Russborough House & Parklands is a mansion that was designed in 1741 and sits at the foot of the Wicklow mountains overlooking Blessington Lakes. With parklands of 200 acres outside the historic house, it is nestled within the Garden of Ireland. A visit to Russborough House & Parklands makes a great day out for the whole family, with plenty of outdoor activities to take part in. Guided Tour of Russborough House When Russborough was left to the Irish public in 1978, Sir Alfred and Lady Beit also left the gift of learning, art, and architecture for everyone to enjoy. Today, we delight in subtle traces of a bygone world thanks to their generosity. Our guided tour of the house includes 50 paintings and drawings in the world-famous Beit Collection and the Milltown Collection. Accumulated for nearly 300 years, the plasterwork, furnishings, and furniture make Russborough the finest great house open to the public in Ireland today. 3D Cinema The exhibition includes a short film that starts in 2D and then moves to the third dimension. We display 3D images taken by Sir Alfred on his world travels in the 1920s and 1930s. 3D glasses are supplied for the convenience of our guests. This private auditorium is arguably one of the most interesting rooms in the house, and was created by Sir Alfred himself when he bought Russborough so that he could share his adventures with friends and enjoy movies on the silver screen. Please allow one hour to visit the house and 30 to 50 minutes for the 3D exhibition centre. A Great Day Out for the Family From beautiful walks to discovering our magical fairy trail and maze, exploring the parklands and 18th century walled garden is unforgettable. We offer a variety of hidden Irish gems for you to delve into. The Maze Find your way to the statue of Cupid in the centre of our maze! The 2000m2 beech hedge maze is a fascinating feature at Russborough. Designed by Adrian Fisher and Randoll Coate of Minotaur Designs, the maze was planted in 1989. The design reveals a clue to the identity of its owners, the Beits, so you’ll have to see if you can figure it out! A statue of Cupid stands proudly on a column at the centre of the maze to help you find your way. Very popular with children, the maze is open every day of the week. Children’s Play Area Children aged three to 12 will love our play area. It contains a mix of fun and challenging equipment such as slides, swings, and climbing frames. Fairy Trail Lady's Island at Russborough is the home of Faylinn the fairy and his fairy friends. They have lived in their beautifully quaint homes for more than 270 years. When you visit us and take part in our magical fairy trail, you are able to learn the fairy language, enjoy fairy games and puzzles, and colour in Shaylee, our shyest fairy.