Academic Journal 10 - Guiness and Kilmainham Gaol

Visiting either of these locations is a postmodern experience, participating in what Peter Lyth called “Heritage Tourism,” visiting sites of historical and cultural significance rather than of natural beauty or splendour. However, the two differ somewhat in how they invite the tourist to encounter the historical materials contained within.
The Guinness Storehouse tour and exhibits are installed in the ‘Hops House,’ not the brewery itself. The building itself is no longer used for any part of the brewing process, so it is unlike visiting the Miller brewery or Jim Beam distillery where work still continues on-site (or did when I was there). Much of the equipment from the days when the building was a working part of the brewery is still there, integrated (or converted) into attractions and exhibits, so you have at least a sense of it being “real,” but the truth is that it is a representation, luring you into the illusion that you are witnessing the actual brewery in some way. Although there is some attempt to educate the visitor as to the history and techniques of the brewery, the emphasis is on an enjoyable and fun experience, as evidenced by the interactive kiosks, pouring lessons, pubs and videos.
Kilmianham Gaol, meanwhile, is the real deal. We tour the actual, brick-and-mortar prison where thousands of criminals and political prisoners were housed and executed. The tour is led by a guide who tells the history and stories of the prison, pointing out cells where the famous resided and relating statistics and numbers that make clear the dark history of the place. It is very low-key, and strives to be educational wherever possible, and yet it is not so different from Guiness. The museum houses interactive exhibits and artefacts, the stories told by the guide are engaging, violent or sad, playing on the emotions of the participants to keep their interest. The intersection of education and entertainment is readily visible, as well as the heritage tourism mindset of peddling a country’s history as an attraction. There are obvious differences in the way they are portrayed and the implied motivation behind the attractions (profit vs. education, profit vs. upkeep, etc.) but in the end it feels like they boil down to the same essential thing. Walking the stones of the prison didn’t seem to put me in the shoes of the revolutionaries any more than the planks of the storehouse made me feel like a brewer (despite my ‘honorary brewers assistant’ online quiz and photocard).
(I hope it doesn't sound like I didn't enjoy these sites, because I did.)