New exhibition showcasing Shropshire's prehistoric past opens at Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery

Sun & Fire - Life and Death and the Dawn of History is a stunning new addition to the museum and art gallery focusing on ‘deep history’ - the period before writing came to Britain with the Romans -  where residents can experience what life was like in Shropshire between 4500 and 2000 years ago.

It brings together a fascinating assemblage of Shropshire finds from c.2500 BCE to 43 CE, as well as loans from National Museums Wales.

Visitors can enjoy a hands-on exploration of the county’s prehistoric past that challenges them to look at the evidence they have from the time and draw their own conclusions. 

Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery (SM&AG) said that because there was no writing, there are lots of gaps in our understanding of this period of history. 

The exhibition has been funded by Arts Council England, and showcases astonishing objects like pieces of intricately decorated gold jewellery and patterned cremation urns, alongside day-to-day objects like cooking equipment. 

Culture & Heritage Development Manager, Fay Bailey said: "This exhibition represents a milestone in our journey to open a permanent Partnership Gallery with the British Museum exploring Deep History. 

"Funded via Arts Council England National Portfolio funding, creative consultants Barker Langham have worked with the team at SM&AG to develop this wonderful exhibition, showcasing incredible Bronze and Iron Age finds from the Shropshire Museums collection and beyond. 

"Sun and Fire – Life and Death at the Dawn of History, offers a unique opportunity to trial some of the themes and concepts we may wish to explore in our permanent display. There are lots of opportunities at the exhibition to interact with the exhibits, immerse your senses in the Shropshire landscape and to tell us what you think."

The discovery of the Shropshire Sun Pendant and associated finds in Shropshire has been the catalyst for a partnership between the British Museum and Shropshire Museums & Archives Service.

This partnership has allowed the centre to create a British Museum Partnership Gallery at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery - the first to explore Deep History and one of only eight Partnership Galleries in the country.

The partnership gives the museum and art gallery a unique opportunity to review and reassess the narrative flow and spatial layout of SM&AG, ensuring that the museum can accommodate the new gallery and is fit for the future. They plan to deliver the project by 2027.

Head of National Programmes at the British Museum, Maria Bojanowska, added: "The incredible finds discovered in the Shropshire landscape provide a hugely important opportunity to explore and reflect on our understanding of the deep past. 

"We are very excited to support this exhibition, which is a chance for visitors to discover this fascinating period of human history. We look forward to hearing their feedback, which will help shape the upcoming permanent British Museum Partnership Gallery at Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery."