Date: 23 July 2026 

Rachael Maskell MP visits the Yorkshire Museum as part of the Festival of Archaeology. 

On Tuesday 21 July, York Museums Trust were delighted to welcome MP for York Central, Rachael Maskell to the Yorkshire Museum. Ms Maskell visited during the nationwide ‘Festival of Archaeology’ to explore the museum’s most recent exhibition, Chariots, Treasure and Power: Secrets of the Melsonby Hoard.  

The visit was hosted by the Yorkshire Museum curatorial team along with support from the Chartered Institute of Archaeologists and Council for British Archaeology, who run the Festival, all championing the importance of archaeology and safeguarding heritage for the nation. 

Andrew Woods, Head of Collections and Research at York Museums Trust said, “It was a pleasure to meet with Rachael and showcase the exceptional Melsonby Hoard. The hoard is a hugely significant piece of Yorkshire’s history, fundamentally altering how we view Iron Age life in the north of England. This has reaffirmed the Yorkshire Museum’s position in the county as a place of culture, learning and heritage and we are proud to be recognised by our MP for our contributions to protecting and sharing Yorkshire’s history.”  

Rachel Maskell MP said, “A huge thank you to the team at the Yorkshire Museum for showing me around Chariots, Treasure and Power: Secrets of the Melsonby Hoard as part of the annual Festival of Archaeology.  It is incredible that our city museum is holding the largest hoard of Iron Age metalwork to ever be found in Britain. Importantly through sheer determination and fundraising, this collection has been kept in public hands, not sold off privately, and is there for us all to access.  

This exhibition has highlighted the power of archaeology to tell stories about our past and to widen our imagination to a range of possibilities. The exhibits are presented in such an accessible way to appreciate the real value of this find and to reconsider assumptions made of this period of history. What it does tell us is the importance of York and North Yorkshire as a cosmopolitan centre for trade and commerce across all eras of history, and how rich our past has been. 

The Yorkshire Museum is a real gem, and an absolute must do for residents and visitors alike. In York, resident children up to 16 go free with one paying adult and the ticket is valid for a year. The annual residents weekend also opens the Yorkshire Museum amongst other attractions for free. In our city of archaeology, I hope residents will take time to visit the museum as part of the Festival of Archaeology this summer.” 

Rob Lennox, Head of Policy and Influence at the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists commented, “It is brilliant to get the chance to celebrate what an important asset the Yorkshire Museum is to York with the local MP; for its expert staff, world class collections, research partnerships that are helping us to better understand the city and region’s past, and its exciting exhibitions and work with local communities. We are also delighted that Chariots, Treasure and Power is only one of the many events in York for the Festival of Archaeology this month.” 

A Spokesperson from the Council for British Archaeology also reflected on the visit stating, “It was fantastic to see Rachael Maskell MP getting involved in this year’s Festival of Archaeology and showing her support for the Yorkshire Museum and the remarkable Melsonby Hoard. 

Through the All-Party Parliamentary Archaeology Group, we have worked with Rachael and Rob to champion the importance of archaeology and the contribution it makes to our communities, economy and understanding of the places around us. Her visit is an important recognition of the people, collections and research that make archaeology accessible to the public. 

The Festival brings together museums, archaeologists, community groups and organisations across the UK to help more people discover and engage with archaeology, and Chariots, Treasure and Power is an exceptional example of that work.” 

The Festival of Archaeology is the UK’s largest public celebration of archaeology with events running now until Sunday 2 August 2026. There are events across the country, both in person and online, available to for all to enjoy, visit the Council for British Archaeology’s website for further details and a full list of events. 

The Melsonby Hoard, discovered in 2021 outside of Melsonby, North Yorkshire, has garnered international attention for its unprecedented discovery of over 800 Iron Age objects, the likes of which have never been seen before in Britain. Chariots, Treasure and Power is currently on display at the Yorkshire Museum and will remain there until summer 2027.