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A view outside the Palatine Centre

Melsonby Hoard to go on public display

11 February 2026
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An intricate piece of metal work is held in a person's hands. The person is wearing purple latex gloves.

The Melsonby Hoard - an internationally significant Iron Age find excavated by our Department of Archaeology, including our Archaeological Services team - will go on display to the public later this year.

With over 800 objects – from chariot wheels and cauldrons to horse bridles and spears – it is one of the UK’s largest and most important Iron Age finds.

The Yorkshire Museum, in York, UK, will run a first-look exhibition from Friday 15 May 2026 until the summer of 2027.

The exhibition will explore the significance of the discovery and share the story of the hoard so far.

It will also look at what this discovery confirms and challenges about our current understandings of late Iron Age Britain 2,000 years ago.

Excavated, stabilised, recorded and researched

The Melsonby Hoard was found by metal detectorist Peter Heads in 2021 near the village of Melsonby, North Yorkshire, northern England.

Our experts excavated, stabilised, recorded and researched the find in collaboration with The British Museum as part of a legal Treasure case.

This project continues to be supported by funding from the UK Government and Historic England.

Large-scale exhibition

In July 2025 the hoard was bought by the Yorkshire Museum following a successful fundraising campaign.

We are beyond excited to be able to put the Melsonby Hoard on display for the first time as a large-scale exhibition. We are grateful to Durham University, Historic England and The British Museum for their support and guidance, as well as the overwhelming generosity given across the fundraising campaign which allowed the Yorkshire Museum to acquire the hoard and put it on display.
Dr Andrew Woods, Head of Collections and Research
York Museums Trust

Further details about the exhibition will be announced by The Yorkshire Museum later, along with a programme of events, talks and workshops.

Find out more

  • See more about The Melsonby Hoard, its excavation, artefacts, analysis and significance.

  • For more information about the Melsonby Hoard exhibition visit the Yorkshire Museum’s website.

  • Our Department of Archaeology is ranked sixth in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025 and fourth in the Complete University Guide 2026. Visit our Archaeology webpages for more information on our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. 

  • Archaeological Services at Durham University.