Since 1800, roughly 10 million people have emigrated from Ireland. While many Irishmen left for religious or economic reasons, the Irish Potato Famine drove about 1.8 million people out of Ireland; most famine refugees went to the United States. These immigrants established Irish communities, which provided a network that allowed millions of more Irish to leave. By the time the 19th century ended, roughly one in two Irishmen had left their homeland, giving Ireland the highest per capita emigration rate. In the 20th century, the 1950s and the 1980s held the highest levels of emigration. In both cases, the emigrants were primarily young people who left to escape poor economic conditions. In 2015, the EPIC Irish Emigration Museum was founded to celebrate the Irishmen who left and their impact on the world. This museum uses interactive methods like videos, motion sensor dancing, and remastered audio and traditional means like primary source letters to teach visitors about Irish emigration history. The EPIC Irish Emigration Museum also contains several exhibits, like the Music and Dance exhibit, the Rogue Gallery, and the Whispering Library, to remember famous Irish artists, outlaws, and authors. Besides its exhibits, the museum also hosts the Irish Family History Center to help families discover their Irish ancestry. The EPIC Irish Emigration Museum is currently located in Dublin, Ireland, in the CHQ building along the River Liffey.
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