Bishop’s Palace Museum
Photo: Geograph Britain and Ireland — CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Bishop’s Palace Museum showcases Waterford’s history from 1700 to the 1970s in a beautifully restored Georgian residence, featuring rare artifacts and immersive displays.
Planning your visit
The Bishop's Palace is one of the three Waterford Treasures museums, each covering a different era of a city that claims to be Ireland's oldest, founded by Vikings in 914. This one takes 1700 to the 1970s, in a Georgian palace built for the Church of Ireland bishop.
Waterford Crystal is the local story, and the museum holds the oldest surviving piece of Waterford glass — a decanter from 1789 — alongside Georgian silver, furniture and portraits. The mourning cross made for Napoleon's funeral is an unexpected holding.
The Georgian rooms are furnished to period, and costumed guides lead tours in character, which works better than it might sound.
The neighbouring museums cover the Viking city and the medieval period, and combined tickets are available for all three, which is the sensible approach given they sit within a few minutes of each other in the Viking Triangle.
Bookable options include entry tickets. Current availability is listed below.
Before you book
Where is Bishop’s Palace Museum?
Bishop’s Palace Museum is in Waterford, Ireland. The map on this page marks its exact location.
What are the opening hours of Bishop’s Palace Museum?
Monday to Friday 12:00 pm — 4:00 pm Saturday 12:00 pm — 4:00 pm Monday to Friday 10:00 am — 5:30 pm Saturday 10:00 am — 5:30 pm Monday to Friday 9:30 am — 5:00 pm Saturday 10:00 am — 5:00 pm Monday to Friday 10:15 am — 5:45 pm Saturday 10:15 am — 5:45 pm Monday to Friday 10:15 am — 6:00 pm Saturday 10:15 am — 6:00 pm. Hours change on public holidays, so check the official site before travelling.
Do I need to book Bishop’s Palace Museum in advance?
Tickets can be bought on the door at quiet times, but booking ahead fixes the date and avoids the queue at busy ones. Live availability is shown on this page.
