Emotively and sensitively telling the story of the Great Famine
The National Famine Museum at Strokestown Park, County Roscommon, is one of the most important heritage destinations in Ireland, dedicated to the impact and legacy of the Great Famine.
Tandem were commissioned by the Irish Heritage Trust to deliver a compelling and emotive visitor exhibition experience at the National Famine Museum that told the story of one of Ireland’s greatest tragedies; through the lens of the vast Strokestown estate archive.
“Our work delved into the 55,000 archival documents at Strokestown to explore the experiences of those who lived and worked on the estate.”
These documents offer a near-complete record of the economic and social history of the estate over a 300-year period and sheds light on the harrowing experiences at Strokestown during the Great Irish Famine.
Tandem completed an initial scoping study, in which we compiled a thorough and extensive Interpretive Plan for the entire Strokestown estate. Following a significant investment from Fáilte Ireland, Tandem were retained to complete the design and deliver a state-of-the-art, multi-sensory, interpretation-rich visitor experience for the National Famine Museum at Strokestown.
Working closely with the dedicated expert team at the Irish Heritage Trust, Strokestown Park and an external historical advisory panel, we interpreted the story of the Strokestown estate and the Great Irish Famine both sensitively and dynamically. Revealing the variety of experiences through people’s own words and stories, our interpretation does not shy away from the difficult content at the National Famine Museum. Instead, it presents the whole story in a balanced way, concentrating on human resilience and the ability to adapt and overcome adversity.
Our design approach incorporates a range of interpretive delivery mechanisms to support the telling of the estate’s compelling story. Evocative large-scale illustrations contribute to the atmosphere of the exhibition, enhanced by historic imagery and a carefully curated selection of artefacts and documents from the archive. AV in the form of soundscapes, touchscreens and projections help to immerse the visitor and connect them to the people of the time. At all points, our design choices relate back to the interpretive rationale for the entire estate, ensuring that a coherent and compelling narrative is retained throughout.
Our finished work at the National Famine Museum introduces an entirely new museum and visitor experience that emotively and sensitively tells the story of the Great Famine at Strokestown Park and beyond. Together, the interpretive content and design merge seamlessly to create an immersive visitor experience that will live long in the memory.
Revealing the variety of experiences through people’s own words and stories, our interpretation does not shy away from the difficult content at the National Famine Museum.
Interpretation planning and production of Visitor Experience Plan
Redesigning of visitor orientation and arrival
Museum redevelopment including interpretation planning, research, content creation, activity sheet production, image licensing
Stakeholder consultation
Procurement of specialist sub-contractors
Graphic design and artworking
Project management including cost estimating and control, on-site supervision
M&E co-ordination
Snagging and handover
