Curator's Tour: 'Come Fly With Me' — Dublin's Aviation Posters & Mid-Century Graphic Design

On Haddington Road in Dublin 4, the National Print Museum opens a compact but rich window into mid‑century Irish graphic life. Meet at the museum in Beggars Bush Barracks, Haddington Road, Dublin 4, for the Curator's Tour of 'Come Fly with Me'—a 45‑minute conversation‑led exploration with Dr Linda King that maps how aviation and tourism shaped visual identity in Ireland. The exhibition stitches together bold travel posters, airline timetables, and printed ephemera that marked Ireland’s arrival on the mid‑20th‑century travel map. Stand before iconic Aer Lingus images and posters that once hung in airport departure lounges; notice the change in typography, illustration, and color palettes as Dutch émigré designers brought modernist sensibilities to Irish studios. The show makes technical history legible: lithography, letterpress, and the paper stocks and inks that made glossy travel fantasies appear tangible. This is not a passive gallery walk. Dr King guides close readings of design choices—how horizon lines, aircraft silhouettes, and travel slogans encoded ideas about modernity, mobility, and national image. The tour’s Mezzanine exhibition space offers a concentrated view that rewards slow looking: examine small-format brochures, bold poster borders, and the traces of hand‑set type that survived mechanization. Note: the Mezzanine is not wheelchair accessible; guide and service dogs are welcome. Why book this when you’re in Dublin? It’s a short, focused cultural detour that connects the city’s aviation history to its visual culture. The tour unpacks familiar landmarks—Dublin Airport and Aer Lingus—through original printed material, turning familiar logos and routes into artifacts with stories. For design-minded travelers, collectors, historians, or anyone curious about how a small nation crafted a modern image, the session sharpens the way you look at posters and travel advertising. Practicalities are simple: the program runs 45 minutes, perfect for sandwiching between museum visits or a walk along the nearby Grand Canal. The National Print Museum’s show is supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport through the After Hours at the Museum Scheme, and the curator’s insights make the work relevant for contemporary conversations about branding and migration of design talent. Bring a notebook for quotes, a camera where photography rules permit, and comfortable shoes—this is close‑up work rather than a long walk. The tour is intimate, capped at small numbers, and best suited to visitors who enjoy careful looking and conversation. It’s a sharp, accessible education in how flight and tourism helped lift Irish graphic design into the international sky. Advance booking is recommended through the FareHarbor link; small group size means tours can fill quickly, especially during cultural festivals. Whether you are tracing family history or sketching typefaces, the Curator's Tour compresses decades of design into a brisk, richly annotated 45‑minute primer. Arrive ten minutes early.