Chariots, Treasure and Power: Secrets of the Melsonby Hoard at the Yorkshire Museum

About

Exhibition dates: 15 May 2026 to summer 2027

The Yorkshire Museum will present Chariots, Treasure and Power: Secrets of the Melsonby Hoard from 15 May 2026, marking the first public display of one of the most important Iron Age discoveries ever made in the United Kingdom. The exhibition will explore the significance of the Melsonby Hoard, a remarkable collection of more than 800 objects uncovered near Melsonby in North Yorkshire.

A major Iron Age exhibition in York

Announced in February 2026, the exhibition will introduce visitors to the largest hoard of Iron Age metalwork yet found in the UK. The discovery has attracted international attention since details emerged in early 2025, following the excavation of the hoard in 2021.

The collection includes:

• Fragments of vehicles and chariots
• Horse harness fittings and decorative metalwork
• Weapons and ceremonial items
• Hundreds of additional objects from Iron Age Britain

The quantity, condition and variety of the material make the find highly unusual. Together, the objects offer new insight into power, status and belief in northern England more than 2,000 years ago.

The centrepiece of the exhibition, ‘The Block’

One of the most striking features of the exhibition will be ‘The Block’, a fused mass of archaeological material weighing more than 150kg and measuring almost a metre across. The structure has been left intact to preserve its form and to support ongoing research.

Although many objects remain hidden within its layers, 3D imaging and CT scanning have already revealed part of its contents. As conservation and analysis continue, the hoard is expected to provide further evidence about Iron Age craftsmanship, ritual activity and social hierarchy.

What the Melsonby Hoard reveals about Iron Age Britain

Chariots, Treasure and Power will place the hoard within the wider story of Iron Age Britain before the Roman conquest. The exhibition will examine key archaeological questions, including why the objects were buried, why many were burnt or deliberately broken, and who may have owned such high-status items.

The display will also consider the hoard’s links to the nearby Iron Age centre at Stanwick, associated with the Brigantes and Queen Cartimandua. These connections suggest that the people behind the hoard may have been part of powerful regional networks with links extending to Denmark, the Mediterranean and other parts of Europe.

Research, conservation and digital interpretation

The Yorkshire Museum’s new exhibition will showcase the early stages of research into the Melsonby Hoard, alongside the scientific and conservation work shaping future understanding of the discovery. Digital interpretation will help visitors examine details of the objects more closely and understand how specialists are investigating the find.

The exhibition is being developed in partnership with Durham University, where researchers continue to assess the hoard’s archaeological importance. Academic opinion suggests the find may lead to a significant reassessment of how wealth and status were expressed during the Iron Age in Britain and possibly across Europe.

Support for the acquisition of the hoard

The acquisition of the Melsonby Hoard followed a successful fundraising campaign supported by public donations and a grant of £192,096 from the National Heritage Memorial Fund. This funding has helped secure the hoard for public access in the county where it was originally buried.

The project has also been supported through earlier excavation and conservation work led by Durham University and the British Museum, with funding from Historic England.

Family events, school workshops and community displays

The exhibition will be accompanied by a wide-ranging public programme designed to engage families, schools and local communities. Throughout school holidays, creative sessions and family activities will draw inspiration from the objects and stories connected with the hoard. Regular talks from the Visitor Experience Team will offer additional insight into Iron Age life.

Visitors can also expect:

• A community display on the museum’s upper balcony
• Artwork by pupils from Melsonby Methodist Primary School
• Photographs and accounts contributed by local residents
• New interpretation linking archaeology with local heritage

Learning opportunities for schools

The Yorkshire Museum will expand its learning programme to reflect the exhibition, with new workshop opportunities for Key Stage 2 pupils. These sessions will include hands-on engagement with artefacts from the museum’s prehistoric collections, as well as 3D replicas of objects from the Melsonby Hoard.

Teachers and pupils will also have access to updated pre-visit and self-led learning resources, designed to support curriculum-based exploration of life in Iron Age northern Britain.

Linked events during the Eboracum Roman Festival

The opening of the exhibition will coincide with the 2026 Eboracum Roman Festival in York Museum Gardens, running from 16 May to 31 May 2026. The festival will feature talks, activities, schools programming and Roman-themed events across the site.

Highlights will include:

• The Living History Encampment on 23 and 24 May 2026
• Roman re-enactments and costumed interpretation
• Demonstrations of daily life in Roman Britain
• Opportunities to explore 3D replicas linked to the Melsonby Hoard
• A free Roman History Livestream for schools on 21 May 2026, delivered with York Archaeology and York Minster

This wider programme will help place the Melsonby Hoard within the longer historical transition from Iron Age Britain to Roman rule.

A significant archaeological discovery for Yorkshire

First discovered in 2021 by metal detectorist Peter Heads, the Melsonby Hoard continues to shape new discussions about archaeology, identity, belief and authority in Iron Age Britain. The exhibition at the Yorkshire Museum will allow visitors to encounter this extraordinary discovery in person while following the ongoing research that continues to reveal its importance.

Running until summer 2027, Chariots, Treasure and Power: Secrets of the Melsonby Hoard will offer a rare opportunity to explore a find of exceptional scale and significance in the region where it was uncovered.

Exhibition summary

• Exhibition: Chariots, Treasure and Power: Secrets of the Melsonby Hoard
• Venue: Yorkshire Museum, York
• Opening date: 15 May 2026
• Closing date: Summer 2027
• Focus: The first public display of the Melsonby Hoard

Further information about the exhibition, related events and ongoing conservation of the Melsonby Hoard will be available through the Yorkshire Museum.