Irish Museum of Time
 The facade of the Irish Museum of Time and "Tempus Fugit", a winged clock. | |
| Established | 14 June 2021 |
|---|---|
| Location | Greyfriars Street, Waterford, the Republic of Ireland |
| Type | Horology |
| Website | https://www.waterfordtreasures.com/museum/the-museum-of-time/ |
The Irish Museum of Time is a horological museum in Waterford, the Republic of Ireland. It is situated in the Waterford Viking Triangle, an area with various histrical sites and museums. It opened on 14 June 2021. It owns about 600 timepieces. It is a part of the Waterford Treasures, along with other five museums.
History
[edit]Colman Curran and his wife Elizabeth Clooney decided to donate their collection of clocks, worth over 600,000 euros, to the Republic of Ireland, and Curran met Eamonn McEneaney, director of the Waterford Treasures, in 2015.[1] They searched for a right place to house the collection for two years, and found a disused Methodist church at Greyfriars Street in the Viking Triangle.[1] In 2018, another horologist David Boles also decided to donate his collection to this project.[1] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it took longer to refurbish the building and the official opening of the museum was delayed.[1]
On 14 June 2021, the Irish Museum of Time was officially opened, and Ireland's heritage minister Malcolm Noonan attended the opening ceremony.[2]
On 22 December 2022, the day of the winter solstice, a large winged clock, "Tempus Fugit", was unveiled outside the museum.[3] This clock was desidned by artists Eithne Ring and Liam Lavery of Cork, and it has two wings composed of seven steel dials on each side, spannig about six metres wide.[3]
In March 2024, two museum staff members coordinated hundreds of clocks in the exhibition to prepare for the start of the daylight saving time in summer.[4][5]
In June 2024, the expansion plan was revealed, and a new gallery will open around early summer in 2025.[6]
Exhibition
[edit]
The museum houses the collections of two long-standing horologists in Ireland, David Boles and Colman Curran.[4] It owns about 600 timepieces, and exhibits a number of clocks and watches on two floors, introducing various Irish clocks, as well as clocks from all over the world including the United States, the United Kingdom, Austria, Switzerland, France, Japan, and Russia.[2] The oldest clock from the collection was made in 1551.[2] It also owns William Clement's 1663 clock, the world's oldest surviving timepiece with an anchor escapement.[4]
The building currently housing the museum is a refurbished Neo-gothic chuch built in the 1880s.[2] Many of the old clocks are exhibited with pieces of furniture from the same periods.[4]
Reception
[edit]The Irish Museum of Time is the only horological museum in Ireland, with the finest collection of Irish timepieces in the world.[7] It is Ireland's national horological museum.[8] Since the opening, it has been a popular tourist destination.[9] In 2024, along with the nearby Bishop's Palace, it was recognised by Tripadvisor's Travellers’ Choice Awards.[10]
The Waterford Treasures
[edit]Along with Reginald's Tower, the Medieval Museum, the Bishop's Palace, the Irish Silver Museum, and the Irish Wake Museum, it is a component of the Waterford Treasures.[11] The Waterford Treasures issues the Freedom of Waterford ticket, which allows visitors to enter the Irish Museum of Time, the Medieval Museum, the Bishop's Palace, and the Irish Silver Museum, and to participate in the Epic Walking Tour, a guided walk around the Viking Triangle.[12]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Jordan, Sandra (2022-03-08). "The Irish Museum of Time Tells the Country's History". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
- ^ a b c d "Museum of Time opens in - Ima". Irish Museums Association. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
- ^ a b "Gigantic 'flying' clock unveiled at Waterford museum". www.waterfordlive.ie. 2022-12-22. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
- ^ a b c d "Museum of Time faces 'exercise in patience' putting 200 clocks forward this weekend". Irish Independent. 2024-03-28. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
- ^ Halpin, Hayley (2024-03-29). "Staff at Irish Museum of Time to change over 600 clocks as Daylight Saving begins on Sunday". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
- ^ Fitzgerald, Pictures by: Garreth (2024-06-01). "Additional exhibition gallery announced for popular Waterford museum". www.waterfordlive.ie. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
- ^ "Minister Noonan officially opens Irish Museum of Time". The Munster Express. 2021-06-15. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
- ^ "The Irish Museum of Time | Waterford Treasures". Retrieved 2024-09-27.
- ^ "Tipperary woman appointed as youngest ever museum head-curator in Ireland". www.tipperarylive.ie. 2024-07-22. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
- ^ "Waterford landmarks receive Tripadvisor's Choice Awards". Irish Independent. 2024-07-24. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
- ^ Lonergan, Lili (2024-06-12). "Waterford Treasures set to celebrate 25 years with a 'Viking Party'". www.waterfordlive.ie. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
- ^ "Waterford Treasures". www.waterfordtreasuresbookings.com. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
External links
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