Waterford Treasures has received its largest ever number of visitors this year.
The collection of museums is quickly becoming the most popular visitor attraction in Waterford, with the number of visitors growing by 63 percent so far this year.
Since opening on January 1, 2022, the museums have so far attracted some 74,000 visitors, representing an increase of 47,009 visitors for the same period in 2021.
The Waterford Treasures Museum collection includes The Bishop’s Palace, the Medieval Museum, The Irish Silver Museum, The Irish Museum of Time and the ever-popular King of the Vikings Virtual Reality Adventure, plus Reginald’s Tower.
Museum Director Eamonn McEneaney said, “We are delighted to have welcomed the highest number ever of fee-paying visitors to the Waterford Treasures Museums.
"We have had an incredible 12 months since we opened the Irish Silver Museum and the Irish Museum of Time in 2021 and focussed on sharing the delights, the treasures and the wonders of the five museums in the Viking Triangle over the last 12 months. We are thrilled to see the hard work from all of the team reaping rewards for the museums and for Waterford.
"We created some new ticketing models which included the freedom of Waterford ticket, which combines a walking tour and four museum visits as well as admission to Christ Church Cathedral, so we believe this growth is based on a culmination of our new museums and collections, innovative thinking and planning of our promotion carefully, which is all now paying off.
"Based on Failte Ireland statistics the museum's economic contribution to the city is valued at just over €5.8 million which is an astounding figure and demonstrates the real economic value in investing in our heritage here in Ireland’s oldest city.”
Of the 74,000 visitors who visited the museums in 2022, 57 percent were international visitors, 16 percent were day trippers from Ireland, and 27 percent were Irish who were overnighting in Waterford and its environs.
McEneaney added: “Since 2002 we have been working very hard on bringing the story of Waterford to the world. Back then, we had dreams of days like today, where visitors are booking in abundance to explore our heritage. This has been twenty years in the making but I have learned over the years to stop rushing the things that need time to grow.”
Visitors can purchase a ‘Freedom of Waterford’ ticket enabling them to access all of the museums and a guided walking tour under one ticket price seven days per week.
For more information, visit www.waterfordtreasures.com .
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