New exhibition puts national treasures in the spotlight

Features Manx items on loan from the British Museum 

A new exhibition will go on display at the House of Manannan tomorrow (Saturday 25 October) exploring the 'incredibly rich world of Manx treasure'.

Entitled 'National Treasures', it features Viking silver and gold from a thousand years ago, alongside four-thousand-year-old Bronze Age jewellery.

Plus, for the first time, people will be able to see the fully conserved and reconstructed jet bead necklace, which was discovered during archaeological excavations at Berk Farm in Kirk Michael.

Manx National Heritage's Curator for Archaeology, Allison Fox, says the exhibit was formed from a desire to share some of the 'incredible' artefacts that have been found here in the past few years:

Some treasures have also returned to the Isle of Man especially for the ‘National Treasures’ exhibition.  

These objects were all discovered prior to the founding of the Manx Museum and are on loan from the British Museum in London.

This will mark the first time many of these original artefacts will be exhibited on the Isle of Man, offering the public a rare opportunity to see them in person. 

Replicas of most items are currently exhibited in the Manx Museum, but the loan of the originals represents a significant cultural moment for the Island.

John Stokes, Head of National Programmes at the British Museum: "We are delighted to be lending objects to this significant exhibition of Manx Treasure. 

"The British Museum is deeply committed to sharing the collection as widely as possible. 

"This exhibition demonstrates the value of national loans and we are thrilled to be able to help colleagues at the House of Manannan to connect visitors to these important treasures first-hand."

All of the artefacts were discovered by people in locations across the Isle of Man and help paint a vivid picture of the Island’s rich archaeological heritage.

‘National Treasures’ opens at the House of Manannan in Peel on Saturday 25 October 2025. 

Admission is free, with donations welcome.