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Wake Museum Tour: Explore Irish Traditions
4.9
118 Ratings
Waterford
Ireland’s inaugural Wake Museum offers an insightful journey through the customs and beliefs surrounding life and death, spanning from early Christian eras to the 20th century.
Ireland’s inaugural Wake Museum offers an insightful journey through the customs and beliefs surrounding life and death, spanning from early Christian eras to the 20th century.
Duration:
45 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
-
Irish Wake Museum - Located in a former 15th-century Almshouse, the Irish Wake Museum provides a unique chance to delve into a significant aspect of Irish culture, guided by an expert on this comprehensive tour.
Within this evocative building, linked to life and death in Waterford over six centuries, visitors embark on an intriguing journey through…
- Irish Wake Museum - Located in a former 15th-century Almshouse, the Irish Wake Museum provides a unique chance to delve into a significant aspect of Irish culture, guided by an expert on this comprehensive tour.
Within this evocative building, linked to life and death in Waterford over six centuries, visitors embark on an intriguing journey through history. In this cozy setting, the themes of death and funeral traditions are examined to truly comprehend the origins of a wake’s distinctive customs.
What's Included
- Guided Tour
- Professional Guide
- Guided Tour
- Professional Guide
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Gratuities
Additional Information
- Please be aware this tour will include mention of death, injury and illness, as well as realistic depictions of the recently deceased. We greatly appreciate that the subject matter of this museum may be upsetting for some and consideration should be taken to ensure that this is the correct experience for you and your companions.
- We advise that at a minimum it is not suitable for children under the age of 8 years.
- Please be aware this tour will include mention of death, injury and illness, as well as realistic depictions of the recently deceased. We greatly appreciate that the subject matter of this museum may be upsetting for some and consideration should be taken to ensure that this is the correct experience for you and your companions.
- We advise that at a minimum it is not suitable for children under the age of 8 years.
Location
Waterford Treasures: Irish Wake Museum
Cathedral Square
The Irish Wake Museum can be found in Cathedral Square, in the dead centre of the Viking Triangle.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(118 Ratings)
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Daniellebd4393hy
Feb 8, 2026
Awakening experience - Deirdre our tour guide was so knowledgeable. We learned some very fascinating things. While I’m not a huge fan of a guided tour, it was a great experience with so much to learn and see. Lovely touch at the end as well for people to remember their dead loved ones.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
458mahdim
Jan 31, 2026
Incredibly interesting, engaging and beautiful - This was one of the most fascinating and engaging tours I've ever been on. We had Debbie as our guide and she was so incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. She answerd all our questions and treated us with lovely anecdotes.
Even being Irish myself, there was so much I didn't know about the customs and superstitions around death.
The building is amazing, the story behind it more so and I am so so glad we decided to go there.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brendalv967jz
Jan 28, 2026
Excellent tour presented by a very knowledgeable tour guide - This was an Excellent tour delivered by a very knowledgeable guide. We completed the tour on 28/01/26 at 11:45. It was so interesting. The tour guide had such wonderful knowledge of the area, the history, and the customs.
And she sang the “Our Father” at the end of the tour. Fabulous- it would make the hairs stand at the back of your neck.
I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Waterford
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Navigator05978756162
Jan 3, 2026
Wonderful experience - Great experience. Took the train from Kilkenny just to visit and well worth it. Tobie the guide was perfect. The exhibits really helped to understand the history.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Belinda_b
Dec 29, 2025
Belinda - The guide called Toby was excellent, brilliant humour & very informative.
It was history of Waterford too.
Thoroughly enjoyable and recommend.
Thank you
Review provided by Viator
97danicag
Dec 27, 2025
A Waterford Gem - We tried to visit The Wake Museum last year and were so glad we could this time around! We’re from Waterford but living in London and this was a lovely way to experience our home town. We’re so lucky to have so many amazing museums and tour guides. Liam was so engaging and knowledgable so we throughly enjoyed our experience! Would recommend to anyone visiting or locals like us :)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jameswo3168bx
Dec 20, 2025
Tobie was so much craic - Tobie gave us such an amazing and informative tour that I'll never forget. He is a very passionate tour guide, and when we reached the last part of the tour, he offered me a tissue as I was unexpectedly overwhelmed
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maire264
Dec 14, 2025
Great Irish history lesson - Had a wonderful tour in wake museum. I think the title of the place is misleading as there’s way more to it than “wakes”. I learned about Irish history and life in the 1400s upwards! Clare was our guide - she was amazingly informative and great for a chat or a laugh. I recommend this tour for sure
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alanbuck75
Nov 22, 2025
Guide was great - Great tour with Tobie
Wonderful way to spend an hour. Insightful, quirky and humorous, Tobie, our guide made the visit fascinating and enjoyable. Thoroughly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Flyer374872
Nov 30, 2025
Great out of the ordinary tour - It was a very unique look into the past. The tour guide was phenomenal. Highly recommend the experience. This was definitely not "touristy". Admission fee was not outrageous. 45 minutes was the perfect amount of time to learn about Waterford's history of death and funerals.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
