Overview

The Kildare Town Heritage and Tourist Office is fabulous and a great starting point if you are exploring County Kildare. Upstairs is the Legends of Kildare VR experience was was so amazing and I loved it. It is very special and unique. A must do. Downstairs is the tourist information centre and shop. It has step free access, including a stair lift to the upper floor.

Transport & Parking

The Kildare Town Heritage and Tourist Office is in the main town square. Kildare Railway Station is a 15 minute walk away, mostly on the flat, with a slight hill as you approach the main square. The Railway Station has step free access. There are buses that stop in Kildare town centre.

Access

There is a double, permanent ramp to the double, manual entrance door. On the ground floor is the shop and information centre. Upstairs is the Legends of Kildare VR experience, which is accessible by stairs with a handrail or stair lift. On the upper floor, there is seating with back support. The VR experience involves wearing a head set which the member of staff will help to fit on you. You remain seated throughout the experience.

Toilets

There are no toilets but there is an accessible toilet in the library which is nearby.

Staff

The member of staff (sorry I have forgotten your name) was extremely helpful and friendly. Before visiting I had contacted the centre for information about local taxis and I had got a very helpful, quick reply with a list of about 6-8 taxi firms. On the day I arrived when it was closed for lunch. The member of staff saw me looking through the window and let me in and put on the VR experience for me. He remains throughout the VR experience. I was not rushed up or down the stairs, I was allowed to take my time. He also provided me with information about accessible public toilets and were was nice place to have lunch. He was like a local friend giving you ideas and suggestions of what to do and where to visit while in the area. Thank you so much for all your help.

Anything else you wish to tell us?

The Legends of Kildare Virtual Reality experience is unbelievable. I have never experienced anything like it before. I was transported back in time to hear about the history and legends of Kildare. This involved having a VR guide who welcomed and explained what I was seeing and accompanied me throughout the tour. The tour itself was fascinating but it was how I made the journey that was so amazing. I flew through the skies to various locations over time. As someone with a mobility impairment I really enjoyed that sense of freedom, it was so cool to have a bird's eye view of the countryside and then to swoop down into a particular event and hear the tales. It is available in English, Irish, French, German and Chinese. It lasts about 20 minutes. The shop has many good quality, lovely, locally made or themed items on sale, with gifts in a variety of prices. It made a refreshing change from some of the things I saw in stores in Dublin, were mass produced items were plentiful. A must do if you are in the area, and I would very happily return. Highly recommend and don't miss the VR experience.

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