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Dublin’s tenement museum at 14 Henrietta Street has received a European Heritage Award from Europa Nostra, recognising its work in preserving and interpreting the city’s social history. The prize highlights the museum’s community-led approach to telling the story of a building that charted Dublin life for more than three centuries.
A building used as a lens on Dublin life
The museum, opened to the public in 2018 and managed by Dublin City Council, traces the house’s journey from its Georgian origins to its later years as a tenement. Exhibitions and displays unfold the lives of former residents through archival material, personal testimony and period reconstructions.
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No. 14 Henrietta Street museum honoured with European Heritage Award
Community involvement is central to the site. Former occupants, local groups and historians collaborated on the project, and many guided tours are led by people with direct connections to the building and the neighbourhood.
What the award recognises
The European Heritage Awards, launched in 2002 by the European Commission and administered by Europa Nostra, spotlight projects across Europe that conserve, research and share cultural heritage. Up to 30 initiatives are honoured annually, and as many as five Grand Prix winners receive a €10,000 prize each.
Projects are judged across categories such as Conservation & Adaptive Reuse, Research, Education, Training & Skills, Heritage Champions and Citizens’ Engagement & Awareness-raising—the category in which 14 Henrietta Street was recognised.
Response and next steps
Commenting on the award, the Chief Executive of Dublin City Council Culture Company, Iseult Dunne, said: “At 14 Henrietta Street, everything we do is shaped by listening to, engaging with and learning from the people who connect with the house and its history. We aim to ensure that visitors can explore the history and heritage of Dublin in ways that feel meaningful and accessible. This recognition is a tribute to the commitment of our team and the many people who continue to contribute to and enrich the work of the museum.”
The museum is also a contender for the Public Choice Award, which is decided by public vote. Other nominees this year include Bánffy Castle (Romania), the Gothic Route Initiative (Slovakia), the Hungarian State Opera House (Budapest) and the OPW’s initiative to improve the energy performance of heritage properties in state care.
Voting for the Public Choice Award is open until 12 May. The winners will be announced at the European Heritage Awards ceremony on 28 May 2026 at the Municipal Theatre in Nicosia, Cyprus.
