Grants

Waterford Treasures DAC

Project Title

In support of the Waterford Treasures Children's Museum

Date

Sep. 11, 2025

Duration

24 months

Description

Between 1986 and 1992, a major archaeological excavation in Waterford, Ireland’s historic city center uncovered important Viking and medieval artifacts, leading to the creation of the Waterford Treasures Museum in 1999. The museum preserved seven historic buildings and expanded educational outreach. In 2022, the Museum of Childhood project sought a permanent home at 18 Lady Lane, an 18th-century merchant’s house. The museum explores childhood in all its dimensions—joyful and difficult—while promoting education, diversity, and community engagement. Initial Corporation funding supported workshops and planning; a renewal grant will help develop interactive exhibits and educational content.

Project Title

As a one-time only grant for support of the Waterford Treasures, Museum of Childhood

Date

Sep. 14, 2023

Duration

0 months

Description

Waterford Treasures is a collection of six museums located within the Viking Triangle, the oldest cultural and heritage quarter of Waterford, Ireland.Its mission is to collect, safeguard, and presentthe rich history of Waterford as well as to ensure that the widest community possible feels welcome in a modern museum atmosphere. Waterford Treasures will builda new Museum of Childhood (the Museum), which has available for display and research more than 30,000 artifacts related to the material culture of childhood in Ireland. The Museum will feature stories about children of rural and urban areas, children from immigrant families, the children of the diaspora, and a crucial element of the fabric of Irish society, childhood in the Irish travelling community. With Carnegie Corporation support, the Museum of Children will work with a Project Board and Project Committee to study Museum building restoration and conservation, exhibition design across various mediums.