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Is the Guinness Storehouse touristy? Maybe. But I still think it is absolutely worth visiting on your first trip to Dublin.
I visited during an overnight layover, when every hour in the city mattered. Even though I moved through the exhibits at a genuinely fast pace because I had a flight later that day, the Guinness Storehouse still took me about 90 minutes. Had I stopped to read everything, eat inside, try one of the upgrades and enjoy my pint without watching the clock, I could easily have spent closer to three hours.
This is not an intimate tour where you follow a brewer around the working production floor. The standard Guinness Storehouse Experience is a large, polished and mostly self-guided attraction spread across seven immersive floors. You learn how Guinness is made, move through more than a century of advertising, take part in a guided tasting and finish with a drink overlooking Dublin from the Gravity Bar.
If you are deciding whether to fit it into a short Dublin trip, my quick answer is yes – especially if this is your first visit. Below, I will explain exactly what you see, which ticket to book, how long you really need and what I would do differently next time.
Short on time? Check Guinness Storehouse ticket availability here. Tickets are timed, so reserving in advance is the safest way to get an entry that works with the rest of your Dublin itinerary.
Is the Guinness Storehouse worth it?
Yes, I think the Guinness Storehouse is worth it for most first-time visitors- even if you are not obsessed with beer. It is one of those experiences that is popular for a reason. The exhibits are interactive, the story is closely tied to Dublin, and the Gravity Bar gives you a completely different view of the city from the one you see at street level.
It is especially worth visiting if you enjoy:
- Interactive museums and immersive exhibits
- Branding, design or advertising history
- Experiences that feel unmistakably connected to Dublin
- City views
- Learning how famous foods and drinks are made
You may want to skip it if you strongly dislike crowded attractions, want only a small working-brewery tour or have less than 90 minutes available. Guinness does offer separate premium and brewery experiences, but those are different – and substantially more involved – than standard admission.
For me, the biggest surprise was not the beer. It was how effectively the Storehouse explained how Guinness became more than a stout. The brewing exhibits show you what Guinness is; the advertising collection shows you how Guinness became Guinness – one of the most recognizable Irish brands in the world.
Guinness Storehouse tickets: which experience should you book?
For most first-time visitors, the classic Guinness Storehouse Experience is the right ticket. It includes the self-guided seven-floor experience and a Guinness, Guinness 0.0 or soft drink in the Gravity Bar. The attraction currently lists an average visit of about 90 minutes, although I would allow two hours for a much more comfortable experience.
Compare prices and book your Guinness Storehouse ticket here. Check the exact inclusions, cancellation terms and entry time shown on the booking page before paying, as ticket options and pricing can change.
Standard Guinness Storehouse Experience
Choose this if you want the complete first-time experience without paying for extras. You will see all of the main exhibits, enter the tasting rooms and finish with an included drink in the Gravity Bar.
This is the option I would recommend to most travelers, particularly if you are fitting the Storehouse into a one-day Dublin itinerary.
Guinness Academy
The Guinness Academy adds a hands-on lesson in the famous six-step pouring ritual. You pour your own pint and receive a certificate. This is a fun choice if learning to pull the perfect pint is part of the experience you have imagined.
It is not necessary to enjoy the Storehouse, though. If your schedule or budget is tight, the standard experience does not feel incomplete without it.
STOUTie
The STOUTie upgrade prints your selfie onto the foam of a pint. I did not do it, but plenty of people appeared to be having fun with it. It is designed more as a personalized photo moment than a deeper dive into Guinness.
Choose it if you love novelty souvenirs and know you will want the photo. Otherwise, I would save the extra money.
Guided and premium experiences
Guinness also sells more specialized options, including a fully guided Home of Guinness Experience and an exclusive Guinness Brewery Experience inside the working brewery. These make more sense for serious Guinness fans or travelers who want greater access and storytelling than the classic self-guided visit provides.
Do not book the standard ticket expecting to walk through the active brewery with a guide. That distinction is important: the Storehouse is an immersive visitor attraction housed at St. James’s Gate, while access to the working brewery requires a specific premium experience.
Do you need to book Guinness Storehouse tickets in advance?
I recommend booking in advance, especially for a weekend, holiday, summer trip or a tightly planned day in Dublin. Timed entry means the wrong availability can throw off the rest of your itinerary even if the attraction is not completely sold out.
I managed to purchase a 10:45 a.m. ticket only a few minutes before the entry time on a weekday. That worked for me, but I would treat it as a lucky last-minute option – not a strategy. I was traveling alone and could be flexible. Finding several tickets together at the time you want may be much harder.
Even with a timed ticket, expect to join an entry line outside. I did, and it was simply part of the arrival process; it did not mean there was a problem with my reservation.
If you already know what day you are going, reserve your Guinness Storehouse ticket now and build the rest of your sightseeing around it.
What is the Guinness Storehouse tour really like?
The building feels enormous as soon as you enter.
First, the experience rises through seven immersive floors surrounding a central glass atrium shaped like a pint glass, eventually leading you to the Gravity Bar at the top.
The opening exhibits introduce the four ingredients in Guinness – water, barley, hops and yeast – and walk through the brewing process. It was a REALLY neat way to learn about the process of making Guinness!
You also have the option of using the audio guide. I personally didn’t use it due to my time constraints.
On the first couple of floors I regularly found myself caught behind a few groups. If you are genuinely interested in the brewing process and want to absorb every detail, take advantage of the free audio guide and give yourself more time than I did!
Starting with learning about the grains used in the brewing process.
Watch the water fall while you learn about the water needed in the brewing process!
Walking through the fermentation section of the experience
A walk through about using nitrogen in their brew.
As you continue upward, the experience moves beyond ingredients and brewing into transportation, cooperage, brand history and the enormous visual world Guinness created around its beer. The scale is what stayed with me: this is not a few rooms of memorabilia followed by a pint. It is a full museum-style attraction.
The Guinness tasting experience
The tasting rooms were one of the most useful interactive portions of the visit. A staff member brings a large group inside and leads a short tasting focused on the aroma and flavor of Guinness.
The queue looked intimidating when I reached it, but it moved much more quickly than expected. During my visit, a new group appeared to enter about every five minutes. Do not skip the tasting simply because the line looks long.
The exhibits also discuss Guinness’s quality checks, including the role of daily tasting. That detail made the scale of the company feel more tangible. Behind the famous glass, the dramatic advertisements and the worldwide brand is still a product someone has to evaluate for consistency.
The advertising floor was one of my favorite sections
taking selfies on the advertising floor of the Guinness Storehouse
taking selfies on the advertising floor of the Guinness Storehouse
Old beer cans on the advertising floor
This was actually a really fun section! They had a bunch of old advertisements, beer cans, and statues etc. Plus they had three different rooms you can take photos in!
The advertising exhibits include historic posters, familiar characters, statues, campaign pieces and commercials from different eras.
What is the Gravity Bar like?
The Gravity Bar is the finale: a glass-wrapped bar at the top of the Storehouse with 360-degree views across Dublin. To be honest, the Dublin skyline isn’t the most exciting – but it’s still my favorite area, with amazing lighting!
You redeem the drink included with your ticket here, choosing from Guinness, Guinness 0.0 or a soft drink, depending on the current ticket terms.
The bar was larger than I expected, with two broad areas connected through the center. It was also very busy. Do not assume you will immediately find a table or even a chair. I had to stand at first while drinking my Guinness.
Pouring beers at the Gravity Bar
Waiting for guinness at the Gravity Bar
Skyline of Dublin
Gravity Bar
Sipping Guinness at Gravity Bar
My advice is to walk through both sides before settling. People naturally stop near the first open space they see, but different sides reveal different landmarks and you may find more room farther in.
The view is expansive rather than postcard-perfect. Dublin is a relatively low-rise city, so you see rooftops, church towers, the surrounding brewery complex and the city extending toward the mountains and coast. After spending the morning exploring on foot, I appreciated seeing how compact Dublin looked from above.
Is it the single prettiest city view in Europe? No. But ending with a Guinness above the city feels like the right conclusion to this particular experience.
How long does the Guinness Storehouse take?
Plan on two to three hours if you want a comfortable visit. The official ticket page estimates about 90 minutes for the standard experience, and I did complete it in roughly that amount of time – but only because I was moving fast to catch a flight.
I did not use the audio guide, skipped the paid upgrades, did not eat inside and did not linger over my pint. Most visitors should not plan around my pace.
- 90 minutes: Possible, but rushed
- Two hours: Enough for the major exhibits, tasting and Gravity Bar without reading every display
- Three hours: Better if you enjoy museums, want an upgrade, plan to eat or hope to relax over your drink
If you are also visiting Trinity College, I would book the earliest Book of Kells entry you can and schedule Guinness for later in the morning. I visited the Book of Kells at 9:00 a.m. and made a 10:45 a.m. Guinness ticket, but that was an aggressive pace. An 11:00 or 11:30 a.m. ticket would give most people more breathing room.
For a complete route through the city, use my one day in Dublin itinerary to connect Temple Bar, Trinity College, Dublin Castle, Christ Church Cathedral and the Guinness Storehouse without unnecessary backtracking.
Best time to visit the Guinness Storehouse
The best time to visit is early in the day, especially if you want more space in the exhibits or need to fit several major Dublin attractions into one day. The first floors were where I noticed groups backing up the most, and the Gravity Bar became another major congregation point at the end.
An early slot also protects the rest of your day. If you linger longer than planned – and you easily could – you still have time for lunch and more sightseeing afterward.
There is one tradeoff: a late-morning or lunchtime visit may make the included pint feel more natural than drinking one first thing in the morning. I would still prioritize crowd level and itinerary flow over the “perfect” hour for a beer.
Where to eat at the Guinness Storehouse
Market Street restaurant
There are several places to eat inside, ranging from coffee and a quick snack to a full Irish meal.
Current venues include the Roasthouse coffee shop, 1837 Bar & Brasserie, Arthur’s Bar and Market Street.
The 1837 Bar & Brasserie focuses on Irish ingredients, classic dishes and Guinness pairings, and reservations are available. Arthur’s Bar and Market Street are a bit more casual, with pub-style food and additional drinks.
I did not personally eat at any of them, so I cannot honestly rank the food. But if you plan to make lunch part of your visit, add at least an hour rather than assuming it will fit inside a 90-minute Storehouse window. The restaurants open at noon daily!
How to get to the Guinness Storehouse
The Guinness Storehouse is at St. James’s Gate in the Liberties, west of Dublin’s main tourist center. It’s fairly simple to get to from downtown Dublin!
Walking from Temple Bar
My walk from the Temple Bar area took about 25 minutes. From Christ Church Cathedral, it was closer to 18 minutes.
After Christ Church, I passed warehouses, residential streets and a few churches. Wear comfortable shoes, but don’t expect this stretch to be the visual highlight of your day.
The advantage is that Dublin is extremely compact.
If you have a full day in Dublin, check out my 1 Day in Dublin itinerary (great for layovers!).
Public transportation and hop-on hop-off buses
The Storehouse is also accessible by public transportation, bike and hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses. A sightseeing bus can be useful if walking 20 to 30 minutes each way would consume too much energy or time, but check the current route and stop schedule before relying on it.
Taxi or rideshare
A taxi is the simplest choice when your schedule is tight, you have mobility limitations or the Dublin weather is behaving exactly like Irish weather. Leave a small buffer for city traffic and the outdoor entry line.
Accessibility, families and non-drinkers
The Guinness Storehouse welcomes children, but anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult and cannot consume alcohol. There were plenty of kids when I visited and actually, several of the floors should be entertaining for them!
If you don’t drink alcohol, you won’t miss out. You’re able to get Guinness’s zero proof: Guinnness 0.0 or a soft drink as alternatives in the Gravity Bar.
For those with physical disabilities, there are elevators available through most areas. The Storehouse is also certified as an autism-friendly attraction and offers sensory resources.
My best Guinness Storehouse tips
- Book a timed ticket before your trip if you need a specific hour.
- Allow 2-3 hours for your visit, even though a fast visit can be completed in 90 minutes.
- Go early for a better chance of encountering fewer people.
- Do not abandon the tasting-room queue; it moves in large groups.
- You’ll be lucky to find a seat the Gravity Bar – walk through both areas!
- Budget meal time separately from your tour time.
- Choose the standard ticket unless pouring your own pint or creating a STOUTie genuinely matters to you.
Final verdict: should you visit the Guinness Storehouse?
Honestly? I was so shocked at how fun visiting the Guinness Storehouse would be! It’s colorful, immersive and interesting. It’s way more than being lectured or walking through historic newspaper articles.
I would absolutely visit the Guinness Storehouse again, but next time I would give myself more than 90 minutes.
It is not a quiet, behind-the-scenes brewery tour, and it does not pretend to be understated. It is big, interactive, crowded and extremely polished. It is also one of the clearest ways to understand how a Dublin beer grew into a global cultural symbol.
Even with a flight hanging over my head, I enjoyed the tasting, loved the advertising floor and thought the Gravity Bar was a memorable way to see the city from above. You do not need to love Guinness to appreciate the experience – but you do need to arrive expecting a major Dublin attraction rather than a small local brewery.
If this is your first visit and you have at least two hours, put it on your itinerary!
Ready to go? Check availability and book your Guinness Storehouse ticket here.
Related articles: Read my full one-day Dublin itinerary to learn about how to plan the Guinness Storehouse tour within a full day itinerary. If Book of Kells is on your list in Dublin, check out my guide to how to see the Book of Kells. It explains the booking options – including what I did when I thought I might miss out on tickets!
Guinness Storehouse FAQ
Does a Guinness Storehouse ticket include a pint?
The standard experience currently includes a Guinness, Guinness 0.0 (alcohol-free) or soft drink in the Gravity Bar. Always confirm the inclusions for your specific ticket before booking.
Is the Guinness Storehouse a self-guided tour?
The classic Guinness Storehouse Experience is self-guided, with interactive displays and guided moments such as the tasting experience. Fully guided and working-brewery experiences require different tickets.
Can you visit the Gravity Bar without a Storehouse ticket?
No. Access to the Gravity Bar is part of a Guinness Storehouse experience ticket.
Can you buy Guinness Storehouse tickets at the door?
Same-day tickets may be available, and I personally booked only minutes before my weekday time slot. This is much easier if you’re a solo traveler! Popular entry times like the evening can sell out. Advance booking is the safer choice, particularly for groups and busy travel dates.
How long should I spend at the Guinness Storehouse?
Allow about two hours for the standard experience. Ninety minutes is possible at a fast pace; three hours is better if you want to read more, add an upgrade, eat or linger in the Gravity Bar.
Do you need to like Guinness to enjoy the tour?
No. The brewing exhibits, advertising archive and rooftop views can still make the visit worthwhile. Non-alcoholic drink options are available at the Gravity Bar.
Is the Guinness Storehouse a working brewery tour?
The standard Storehouse ticket is an immersive visitor experience, not a tour through the active brewery. Book the separate Guinness Brewery Experience if working-brewery access is important to you.
Can children visit the Guinness Storehouse?
Yes, children may visit when accompanied by an adult.
What’s the Drinking Age in Ireland?
The drinking age is 18 years old. Guests under 18 cannot consume alcohol at the Guiness Storehouse.
Is there food inside the Guinness Storehouse?
Yes. Dining options currently range from coffee and baked goods to casual pub food and a full-service brasserie. Venue hours and menus can change.
Is the Guinness Storehouse good for a Dublin layover?
It can be, provided your layover is long enough to enter Ireland, travel into the city and return to the airport with a generous buffer. I visited during an overnight layover and completed the Storehouse in 90 minutes, but I had to move quickly. Use my one-day Dublin itinerary to judge what realistically fits.
Hi, I’m Amber —
A Michigan native now living in Washington with a deep love for travel and the outdoors. What started with church mission trips and years of traveling across the U.S. as a nurse has grown into a passion for exploring destinations across Asia and America through hiking, scenic landscapes, local food, wildlife encounters, and underwater adventures. Sometimes I’m joined by my goldendoodle, Millie, but I’m always traveling with my camera. My goal is to help you feel inspired and confident that travel is possible — no matter where you’re starting from.
