Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery continues its phased reopening this week. Here’s the chance to see the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver metalwork ever discovered. You are invited to visit the Staffordshire Hoard during a limited number of free and guided, one-hour group sessions, from July 19 to August 30.
“These special guided access sessions are a wonderful opportunity to explore the Hoard’s extraordinary craftsmanship and significance,” said Toby Watley, director of collections and estate at Birmingham Museums Trust. “We are excited to be offering a more personal experience to visitors before we open the newly refurbished gallery more widely. It’s a special way to connect with this remarkable chapter of our region’s heritage.”
Why is the Staffordshire Hoard significant?
As one of the most celebrated Anglo-Saxon treasure hoards in the world, the Staffordshire Hoard contains just under 4,000 objects and broken fragments, most of which are war gear. The quality of the workmanship is also extremely high in the large number of individual objects, such as swords or helmets.
The hoard was buried in the 7th century (AD 650-675), making it well over a thousand years old. It wasn’t rediscovered until 2009, however, in a field by the village of Hammerwich, near Lichfield in Staffordshire, by local metal-detectorist Terry Herbert. You can learn more about the hoard’s history and significance at the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.
The Staffordshire Hoard gallery will fully reopen to the public later this year. But for now, booking in advance for these guided sessions—with a member of the museum team on hand to share insights and to answer questions—is essential due to limited group sizes. Tickets are available through the Birmingham Museums website here.