Still recovering from the effects of the pandemic, the Yorkshire Museum has been closed over the winter period to allow York Museums Trust to focus on their other sites across York and to repair the building’s roof.
But now the Yorkshire Museum is making its much anticipated return, and will reopen on Friday 8 April.
The museum reopens with a brand new exhibition for visitors to enjoy – The Ryedale Hoard: A Roman Mystery, which will feature some of Yorkshire’s most significant Roman objects.
The journey of this new collection started on a sunny afternoon in May 2020, when keen metal detectorists and friends James Spark and Mark Didlick found the artefacts buried in a field near Ampleforth. They had been buried together over 1,800 years ago.
The artefacts include:
- An exceptional and rare bust that is thought to show Marcus Aurelius who was Roman Emperor from AD 161 – 180
- An intricate figurine showing a horse and rider, thought to be made in Britain as a representation of the god Mars
- A horse-shaped handle for a key, which may have been deliberately broken before burial for magical purposes
- A plumb bob, which is made to be hung as a weight to establish a ‘plumb’ vertical line
But the exhibition also poses an archaeological mystery – who exactly buried them?
Lucy Creighton, curator of archaeology at York Museums Trust, said: “We are so excited to share this spectacular find with the public for the very first time in Yorkshire, where it was found.
“In our new exhibition visitors will be able to get up close to the hoard and explore its story alongside Roman treasures from the museum’s wider collection.
“We’re delighted to welcome you back to the Yorkshire Museum with something so special.”
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To celebrate the exciting new exhibition and reopening of the museum, the Yorkshire Museum will be opening every day for visitors during the Easter Holidays from 11am to 5pm.
From 25 April, during term time, the museum will open Tuesday to Sunday. The museum will also be open 7 days a week during York school holidays and on Bank Holiday Mondays.
Tickets are available now, and are £8 for adults when purchased online. Concession tickets are available and pre booking is advised. For more information and to get your tickets, please visit the Yorkshire Museum website.