Medieval Museum

Top choice


Housed in a stunning modern structure that incorporates several medieval buildings and part of the city wall in its basement (all on display), this museum documents Waterford's medieval history in glowing detail. The highlights of the collection are the extraordinary 15th-century cloth-of-gold church vestments, made from silk woven in Florence and embroidered in Bruges around 1460. Hidden beneath Christ Church Cathedral and forgotten for 123 years, they are a rare survivor and one of the great treasures of medieval Europe.

Other outstanding exhibits include the Great Parchment Book of Waterford, an original document that records in fascinating detail what medieval life was like, including cases of petty crime and the impact of the plague, and a ceremonial sword and two maces gifted to the city by England's Edward IV in 1462.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Christ Church Cathedral

0.02 MILES

Christ Church Cathedral is Ireland's only neoclassical Georgian cathedral. Designed by local architect John Roberts, it was built on the site of an 11th…

2. House of Waterford Crystal

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This large modern complex combines a retail shop and cafe with a factory offering a 90-minute tour that shows how world-famous Waterford crystal is…

3. Bishop's Palace

0.04 MILES

The Bishop's Palace, a Georgian mansion dating from 1741, covers Waterford's history from 1700 to 1970 and displays a wide-ranging selection of city…

4. City Hall

0.04 MILES

Waterford's stately City Hall (1788) was designed by local architect John Roberts.

5. Reginald's Tower

0.09 MILES

Ireland's oldest complete building and the first to use mortar, 13th-century Reginald's Tower, the city's key fortification, is an outstanding example of…

6. Holy Trinity Cathedral

0.22 MILES

The sumptuous interior of the city's Roman Catholic cathedral has a carved-oak baroque pulpit, painted pillars with Corinthian capitals and 10 Waterford…

7. Clock Tower

0.25 MILES

In the middle of Waterford's waterfront stands an 1860s clock tower, a famous local landmark.