Kilkenny Medieval Mile Museum

Kilkenny Medieval Mile Museum is housed within the renovated church of St Mary. During archaeological excavations skeletal remains were discovered just beyond the periphery of the church grounds.

After receiving funding from Fáilte Ireland, the Museum appointed Tandem to deliver a sensitive and thought-provoking installation, within the existing exhibition space, that would pay respects to four of the people whose remains were found.

‘3 Lives, 3 Deaths, 1 Life Unlived’ opened in July 2019.

We designed a special mausoleum-like structure within the existing exhibition space that would give the remains a degree of respect and privacy while providing visitors with an opportunity to focus on the remains and reflect on the lives lost.

Our objective was to deliver an emotive visitor experience that explores thoughts on death, identity and citizenship.

We worked with the site archaeologist and osteo-archaeologist, undertook research on medieval Kilkenny and reviewed the existing exhibition to develop a harmonious narrative between existing interpretation and the new installation.

As the project developed, key themes and topics emerged that stimulated intellectual and emotional responses.

The installation design mirrored the existing church architecture, housing the human remains in their own bespoke structure with colour, typography and carefully selected imagery working together. This presented the story
in an understated and respectful tone.

The interior sensitively displayed the remains within National Museum of Ireland guidelines while the exterior reflected character-led stories through illustration, multi-media and a unique graphic treatment imbuing a sense of place and connection to the past.

The installation design response mirrored the existing church architecture… this presented
the story in an understated and respectful tone.