Templemore Baths

Dive into the story of Templemore — the last functioning Victorian Baths in Ireland.  

Templemore Baths is one of Belfast’s heritage gems: the only Victorian baths building in Ireland that survives in its original form, with its original swimming pool and slipper baths.  

This important amenity has been used by the community in east Belfast for over 100 years. Following a multi-million pound project, it has been sympathetically restored and interpreted for people to continue to enjoy today. 

Our interpretation focuses on telling the story of the baths through the people and place surrounding it, giving voice to the memories of those who once bathed, swam and worked there.

We delved into the history of Templemore, compiling comprehensive research that explored the context for establishing the Victorian bath and the industrial development of the city. This lead to our in-depth Interpretation Plan which supported a NLHF funding bid. 

In collaboration with Belfast City Council, and funded by NLHF, the project’s ambition was to bring the history and stories of the baths to life, via interpretation that was sympathetically integrated into the fabric of the beautiful historic building. 

We celebrate the ‘Voices of Templemore’ through audio posts, documentary films, projections and graphics, that capture the sights, sounds and people’s memories of Templemore. Recollections of the crowded gala events, the changing room ‘talc-wars’ and the luxury of getting a hot bath after a long week of work provoke engagement with the very personal memories people have with this building. 

As people are at the heart of Templemore’s story, we commissioned an illustrator to depict people within the heritage spaces to bring a contemporary and vibrant human element to the interpretation.

We developed a bespoke visual language that was sympathetic to, and enhanced, the architectural qualities of the space. Our visual language helps to interpret the building’s former functions, with a design that draws inspiration from the original Ticket Office, Slipper Baths and Minor Pool with a contemporary slant to appeal to today’s audiences. 

Templemore continues to operate as a swimming and leisure facility, and we wanted to encourage visitors to think about ideas of health and well-being today. A range of hands-on and digital interactives allows active visitor engagement with these themes, with an emphasis on fun!

Overall, the heritage space is a multi-faceted visitor experience at the heart of the newly-revitalised Templemore Baths. It brings the history and the community who used and looked after the baths to life, through sympathetic and engaging interpretation.

‘The new visitor centre celebrates the heritage of the building and the importance of public baths in the early twentieth century.’

Belfast Lord Mayor, Councillor Ryan Murphy