Kilkenny Civic Trust is a registered charity set up by Kilkenny County Council in 1989 to acquire the premises in Kilkenny of the former Kilkenny Design Workshops. Since 1989 the Trust has been managing the property which consists of Butler House and Gardens, and the adjacent properties at the Castle Yard, which are home to the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland, and the Kilkenny Design Centre. Kilkenny Civic Trust has broadened its remit to deepen its strategic involvement in tourism initiatives both in the Trust’s own properties and to help develop Kilkenny as a world class tourism destination. To this end the Trust became the licenced operators of Kilkenny’s latest visitor attraction the ‘Medieval Mile Museum.’ The Museum is already a flagship attraction on Ireland’s Ancient East. The museum in the heart of Kilkenny was formerly the 13th century St Mary’s Church. It is the finest example of a medieval church in Ireland. A key visitor attraction upon Ireland’s Medieval Mile it brings to life Kilkenny’s rich history as Ireland’s premier medieval city.