A Brand new ‘Freedom of Waterford’ Ticket is announced with 2 additional attractions
Waterford’s collection of museums which recently hosted a visit from Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall announces a brand new ‘Freedom of Waterford’ ticket which offers visitors a guided walking tour and access to 6 attractions in the City.
Visitors can now follow in royal footsteps and enjoy a guided walking tour experience with one of the expert guides at Waterford Treasures taking in the insights into the 1,000 years of history of Waterford all within 1,000 paces. The tour highlights include an opportunity to learn of the City’s Vikings’ foundations, be inspired by medieval wonders and experience elegant Georgian architecture.
Following the walking tour, the Freedom of Waterford Tour ticket enables each visitor to take a deep dive into their favourite era of Ireland’s heritage with complete access to the Medieval Museum, Bishop’s Palace, the new Irish Museum of Time and the newly opened Irish Silver Museum.
At the Medieval, Museum visitors can take a step back into 13th and 15th century Waterford and explore the atmospheric underground Choristers’ Hall and the 15th century Wine Vault. An exhibition highlight includes the medieval Cloth-of-Gold Vestments and the 1373 Great Charter Roll of Waterford – viewed by Queen Elizabeth II on her 2011 visit to Ireland and recently by Their Royal Highnesses Prince Charles and Camilla.
The Bishop’s Palace Museum is an authentic 18th-century Georgian grand residence built in 1743 which is also home to the oldest surviving piece of Waterford Crystal in the world. A spectacular 4D Story of Glassmaking is included in the ticket.
The Irish Silver Museum offers a journey through Irish history using beautiful, intimate and personal objects as a guide to the fascinating story of Ireland and its ostentatious past.
The Irish Museum of Time at Greyfriars gothic-style church is a fitting home for what is beyond doubt the finest collection of Irish timepieces in the world. It features the oldest Irish-made grandfather clocks, table clocks and watches in the world and celebrates the incredible skills of the virtuoso craftspeople who, since the seventeenth century, created timepieces of remarkable beauty and technological genius.
In addition to access to the 4 museums visitors taking the Freedom of Waterford tour can now also enjoy guided access to Christ Church Cathedral, the scene of the marriage in 1170 of the Anglo-Norman knight Strongbow and the Irish princess Aoife, the most important in Irish history. Rebuilt in 1773 it is regarded as the finest classical cathedral in Ireland, designed by the Waterford architect John Roberts who uniquely in Europe also built the stunning Roman Catholic Cathedral in 1793.
And in addition, there is a visit to Greyfriars Church, the French Chuch and former Franciscan Friary also known as Greyfriars Abbey it was built in 1241 on what is now Greyfriars and Baileys New Street. This friary was one of the first to be built in Ireland, being founded by the Anglo-Norman Knight Sir Hugh Purcell.
‘Freedom of Waterford’ tickets are €15 and available from Waterford Treasures, The Mall, Waterford and available to pre-book online at www.WaterfordTreasures.com
