This magnificent Georgian residence is a must-see attraction! Come along to the Bishop’s Palace for a tour with the Housekeeper or Butler while the Bishop is away and discover the secrets the house holds. On this special tour, guests can enjoy a reenactor-led experience through the luxurious surroundings of the Bishop’s Place where they can prepare to be entranced by ornate gilt furniture and architectural features. Visitors will discover the scandalous affairs, tantalising love stories and more that hide beneath the veneer of Georgian perfection. Learn about misbehaving rakes, scurrilous rumours and murder most foul on this special tour of one of Waterford’s most famous townhouses. Don’t miss the oldest surviving piece of Waterford Crystal in the world dating back to 1789, and the Napoleon Bonaparte’s Mourning Cross; the only one to survive out of the original twelve that were made on his death.
This magnificent Georgian residence is a must-see attraction in Waterford. Experience authentic grand eighteenth century living in this beautiful Georgian building. Don’t miss the oldest surviving piece of Waterford Crystal in the world dating back to 1789, and the Napoleon Bonaparte’s Mourning Cross; the only one to survive out of the original twelve that were made on his death. Join our reenactor-led guided tour with our Housekeeper while the Bishop is away and discover the secrets the house holds, of tantalising love stories and more that hide beneath the veneer of Georgian perfection [Tours every hour, subject to availability]. Or, enjoy the the luxurious surroundings of the Bishop’s Place on a self-guided tour, where you can prepare to be entranced by ornate gilt furniture and architectural features. Not to mention the 1789 Penrose Decanter - The oldest surviving piece of Waterford glass in the world.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Waterford Treasures: Bishop's Palace lasts about 1 hour. The itinerary has 1 stop.
Prices start at $16 per person for this Waterford experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There are 2 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The experience is available in DE, EN, EN, FR.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap Children must be accompanied by an adult
Wheelchair accessible Transportation options are wheelchair accessible All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 98 verified reviews; it is run by Waterford Treasures - Five Museums in the Viking Triangle.
A beautiful experience had in a fantastic historic setting. Our tour guide was amazing. So polite and patient with us all. She has a wealth of knowledge about the Bishop's Palace. She was dressed period accurately too. Well worth a visit
An unforgettable journey through Waterford’s history! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Visiting the Bishop’s Palace Museum was one of the highlights of our time in Waterford. The museum is fascinating and offers a wonderful opportunity to learn about the city’s rich history and heritage. But what truly made our visit special was our guide, an incredibly talented actress who brought the history of Waterford to life. Her storytelling, enthusiasm and way of interacting with us made us feel as though we had actually travelled back in time. It was much more than a museum tour — it was an immersive experience that allowed us to connect with the people, stories and atmosphere of Waterford’s past. She was absolutely brilliant and made the tour both entertaining and educational. You could really feel her passion for the history and for sharing it with visitors. Highly recommended! If you visit Waterford, don't miss the Bishop’s Palace Museum — and definitely take the guided tour. It’s an experience you will remember! 🇮🇪✨
MAEVE was brilliant and kept in character the whole tour. There was a small number in our group and there was lots to see. Maeve explained everything thoroughly and was funny, witty and very knowledgeable. Thanks for making this a special tour Maeve! Well worth a visit.
The guided tour brought the history of the palace alive and drew interest to artifacts we want to view at our leisure. Very entertaining and informative.
Dear Vanessa, Thank you for leaving a review on your recent tour of Bishop's Palace, we're delighted that you enjoyed the tour and it really brought your attention to our major artefacts - offering the insight on some of the fantastic paintings, crystal and furnishings on display! Many thanks, Waterford Treasures
This is a beautiful place & our guide was the "Housekeeper" who was a very believable actress as she showed us around the rooms & shared titbits of gossip about various people who had lived there. There were places to sit in every room & lots to look at with photography allowed. When we got to the last room, we were told that there was an exhibition upstairs but that we were welcome to go back through the rooms to take photos. We went upstairs first but did not realise that we could not get back in to the main rooms & then the next tour was starting so we just had to exit the building. This was the only negative because had that been explained differently, then we would have gone back through the rooms first & then gone to the exhibition. Also a great cafe on the premises.
Dear visitor, Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on the Bishop's Palace. We're delighted to hear that you thought the house was beautiful, and you enjoyed the tour and offered by our housekeeper guide. We're glad you felt comfortable throughout the tour, and enjoyed taking some photos, throughout the tour and the top floor. We absolutely will take your comments on board - we are of course welcome to have visitors back into the main house after they see the top floor exhibits, self-guiding is welcome to work around tours, though we understand that the stairwell can be a maze for the untrained eye! We will certainly look into how to improve this element of a tour. Many thanks, Waterford Treasures
If you are in Waterford and into history then get yourselves to the bishop's palace and make sure you get the tour with the house keeper. Far better than I expected and great gossip from the housekeeper.
Dear Kevin, Thank you for your wonderful review. We're delighted that you managed to fit in a tour with the housekeeper, Mrs Rickards, while visiting Waterford. We appreciate you recommending a visit to all our visiting history lovers! We hope you enjoyed your visit, and that you might be back again for another visit soon. Many thanks, Waterford Treasures
What a fantastic tour by the bishop's "housekeeper". She is not only the guide but also a fantastic actress. Nice story with lots of humor!
Dear visitor, Thank you for your review. Our guide will be so touched to hear that you enjoyed her re-enactor tour. It's lovely to hear you enjoyed the stories, and the bit of humour and gossip to go along with it. Many thanks, Waterford Treasures
This was the starting Point of the epic walk round the Viking Triangle in Waterford and it was included, so we visited afterwards - and it was worth the price alone. Take your time with this Museum as it has lots of interesting story to tell. My husband and I were fascinated by the exhibits and the snippets of History written everywhere on the walls. We had a nice little chat with a lady from the museum we met in the staircase and got great tipps what else to see - and the Café had the best Croissants I had so far. If you are in Waterford, you should absolutely go check the Bishop's Palace out!
Dear visitor, Thank you for your wonderful review. We're delighted to hear that you truly enjoyed everything the museum had to offer, from the place to kick start your walking tour - a great overview of our history! - to enjoying the Bishop's Palace museum and the cafe! I'm delighted that our staff were able to offer some local advice, and hat your croissants went down a treat! We really appreciate your recommendation, and hope you'll be back to visit again soon! Many thanks, Waterford Treasures
The tour with the housekeeper was excellent. Lovely lady and learnt so much more about the history than would have done otherwise.
Dear Carl, Thank you for your review of the Bishop's Palace. We're glad you learned so much about or history, all thanks to your wonderful re-enactor tour guide. Many thanks, Waterford Treasures
Excellent tour of Bishops palace, with the housekeeper Mrs Rickards [Debbie], your secrets are safe with the Limerick girls..... very informative and enjoyable...
Dear Sally-Anne, Thank you for leaving us a wonderful review on your recent tour with our tour guide, Debbi [a.k.a. Mrs Rickards!] We're delighted to hear that you found it both fun and informative, and great to hear that our secrets are safe with you! We hope to welcome you back for another museum tour very soon. Many thanks, Waterford Treasures
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterford Treasures: Bishop's Palace | 1 hour | 4.8 (98) | $16 | |
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 Waterford Treasures: Medieval Museum Admission Ticket | 45 min | 4.7 (151) | $16 | View |
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