After an investment of almost 500,000 euro, the so-called "Dead Zoo" has reopened to the public with improved access, a new discovery zone and a special reading area.

The museum's beloved giraffe and elephant displays have been dusted off and reinstalled alongside huge skeletons of whales and 11,000-year-old giant deer.

Relaunching the Dublin attraction, Tourism Minister Mary Hanafin said a whole generation of children would now be able to visit for the first time.

The minister said: "The Dead Zoo has come to life today, there's no doubt about that. The fact that it was closed for a few years means there's a whole pile of young children who haven't had the opportunity to come so I suspect it will be very, very busy."

The building was closed after a section of its stone staircase collapsed in July 2007. Around 15 million euro was allocated for a major refurbishment but many changes had to be shelved after cash from the National Development Plan was no longer available.

Among the new features are improved wheelchair access, extra seating and an education space for hands-on access to animals. An ongoing project to restore exhibits which began in 2003 has also seen most mammals cleaned and restored, with work now under way on the bird exhibits.

Keeper of the museum Nigel Monaghan said great care had been taken to hold on to the venue's traditional feel. He said: "Staff have been working hard to get the museum ready for visitors and the galleries are positively sparkling. Nothing has been lost and a number of improvements have been made without affecting the historic interior much loved by our visitors."

Pupils from the Star of the Sea boys national school in Sandymount got a sneak preview of the free museum, which reopens to the public on Thursday. Fourth Class pupil Oisin Dowling marvelled at a lynx exhibit in the upstairs mammal area. The 10-year-old said he would consider a job at the museum when he finished school.

"You'd be able to look at the stuff and know you're getting paid for it as well," he added.