In 2004 the National Museum of Ireland and the Crafts Council of Ireland, (renamed the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland in 2014), established a joint purchase fund to acquire pieces for a contemporary Irish craft collection as part of the museum’s decorative arts collections.

A selection of objects, acquired through the fund, is now on display at the National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts and History, and includes examples of the best of Irish ceramics, glass, furniture, wood turning, jewellery, accessories and silverware.

The collecting of contemporary high quality works from Ireland’s leading designer-makers for the national collection is a way of preserving tomorrow’s antiques for future generations.

The primary value such contemporary collecting affords is the visual strength of the objects acquired on behalf of the Irish people, and the preservation of the skills involved in their making.

21st Century Irish Craft, originally mounted in 2011, has been re-installed to highlight the NMI/DCCOI joint purchase fund collection. The exhibition has been updated to include some recent acquisitions purchased through the fund.