Yorkshire Museum

A museum set among beautiful gardens and showcasing several lifetime's of Yorkshire history

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It was a long time ago, but now, nearly two centuries later, not only is the building still standing - it's also still using its comprehensive collection to teach the public about a lifetime of Yorkshire history. This makes it one of the oldest museums in the entire country, and in fact, the displays here have been described as of national and international importance.

The front of the Yorkshire Museum

The Museum's exhibits are split into four different sections. First, the Biology area boasts over 200,000 different specimens, including several examples of animals which are now extinct. Next, the Geology section shows off all kinds of rocks, including fossils, gems, and meteorites. The Astronomy department, meanwhile, includes the county's oldest working observatory. It also has the observatory's clock, which kept perfect time by checking the positions of the stars. In the 19th century, the clock was York's equivalent to Greenwich - although oddly, it was always 4 minutes and 20 seconds behind. Yorkshiremen were charged a sixpence to come and set their watches to the correct time.

Inside the Yorkshire Museum
Photo craig booth

The last section in the museum is Archaeology - the collection here is edging towards a massive one million objects. There are countless interesting artefacts, but the undoubted frontrunner is the Middleham jewel discovered by a man called Ted Seaton, in 1985. Ted was exploring the local area, hoping to find something with his metal detector. But instead of the usual coins and bottle caps, he found an intricately detailed pendant, embedded with a perfect sapphire. He must have known he'd gotten lucky, but he couldn't have predicted just how lucky. When it went to auction, the pendant earned him 1.3 million pounds. There were even rumours that the buyer was part of the royal family! Several years later, it was put up for auction again - and Yorkshire Museum bought it, for a staggering 2.5 million pounds.

These four collections have always been popular, but recently, there have been plans to update the buildings, and the presentation of its contents. Walls will be stripped out to make more open spaces, skylights will be added to make use of the natural light, and the entire basement level will be converted into another exhibition area. The displays will be rearranged into three specifics sections, focusing on extinct animals, the Romans, and the city of York itself. These will all surround one central hall area, which will greet visitors with an imposing, life-size statue of Mars, the Roman war god.

The museum is surrounded by the Museum Gardens
Photo Thunderchild tm

The Yorkshire Museum's building is unusual in that it is still used for its original purpose, and these ambitious renovations will ensure that its wonderful collections can continue to delight a new generation of visitors in the 21st century.

The Yorkshire Museum is open daily 10am to 5pm. Entry costs around £5. Tel: 01904 687687

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