One of the most important Viking-age discoveries of the 21st century has arrived in Australia. Treasures of the Viking Age: The Galloway Hoard opens today at Melbourne Museum, showcasing more than 100 objects buried for over a thousand years.
Discovered in 2014 in southwest Scotland, the Galloway Hoard is regarded as one of the most significant archaeological finds of recent decades. It brings together an unparalleled collection of artefacts, including the largest surviving group of Viking-age gold from Britain and Ireland. Rare items such as a pectoral cross, silver arm rings, brooches, beads, and textiles—normally lost to time—form part of this remarkable assemblage. Some of the objects may once have been treasured family heirlooms, carried across great distances before being interred in Scotland.
Treasures of the Viking Age Exhibition. Photographer: Eugene Hyland | Source: Museums Victoria
The hoard was buried in four distinct parcels, a sequence that is reflected in the Melbourne exhibition’s layout. Visitors will encounter the hoard as it was deposited, while learning how advanced conservation and research techniques have uncovered its hidden stories since 2017. Audio-visual displays and 3D reconstructions reveal the painstaking work behind its preservation.
A Rare Opportunity for Australian Audiences
Objects on display from the Galloway Hoard exhibition. Photographer: Eugene Hyland | Source: Museums Victoria
For Australian visitors, the exhibition offers a rare chance to engage directly with Viking-age artefacts. “It is an extraordinary honour to bring The Galloway Hoard, one of the United Kingdom’s archaeological finds of the century, to Melbourne Museum,” said Lynley Crosswell, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Museums Victoria. “These Viking-age treasures tell captivating stories that still resonate today; tales of wealth, power, identity and the connections that bound distant cultures together.”
Dr Martin Goldberg, Principal Curator of Medieval Archaeology & History at National Museums Scotland, added: “The Galloway Hoard has repeatedly drawn international attention since its discovery, and we are delighted to bring it to Melbourne. The exhibition contains a spectacular and varied selection of material, with intricate detail revealed through extensive conservation work.”
Special Talks and Events
Replica of the Galloway Hoard vessel from the Galloway Hoard. Photographer: Eugene Hyland | Source: Museums Victoria
To mark the opening weekend, Dr Adrián Maldonado, Galloway Hoard Researcher at National Museums Scotland, will appear at Melbourne Museum on Saturday, 30 August. He will take part in a public conversation and deliver a series of pop-up talks on the people, culture, and trade of the Viking Age.
To accompany the display, Museums Victoria Publishing has released Treasures of the Viking Age: The Galloway Hoard. Written by Dr Martin Goldberg and Dr Mary Davis of National Museums Scotland, the book provides an in-depth account of the discovery, preservation, and continuing research into the hoard.
One of the most important Viking-age discoveries of the 21st century has arrived in Australia. Treasures of the Viking Age: The Galloway Hoard opens today at Melbourne Museum, showcasing more than 100 objects buried for over a thousand years.
Discovered in 2014 in southwest Scotland, the Galloway Hoard is regarded as one of the most significant archaeological finds of recent decades. It brings together an unparalleled collection of artefacts, including the largest surviving group of Viking-age gold from Britain and Ireland. Rare items such as a pectoral cross, silver arm rings, brooches, beads, and textiles—normally lost to time—form part of this remarkable assemblage. Some of the objects may once have been treasured family heirlooms, carried across great distances before being interred in Scotland.
The hoard was buried in four distinct parcels, a sequence that is reflected in the Melbourne exhibition’s layout. Visitors will encounter the hoard as it was deposited, while learning how advanced conservation and research techniques have uncovered its hidden stories since 2017. Audio-visual displays and 3D reconstructions reveal the painstaking work behind its preservation.
A Rare Opportunity for Australian Audiences
For Australian visitors, the exhibition offers a rare chance to engage directly with Viking-age artefacts. “It is an extraordinary honour to bring The Galloway Hoard, one of the United Kingdom’s archaeological finds of the century, to Melbourne Museum,” said Lynley Crosswell, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Museums Victoria. “These Viking-age treasures tell captivating stories that still resonate today; tales of wealth, power, identity and the connections that bound distant cultures together.”
Dr Martin Goldberg, Principal Curator of Medieval Archaeology & History at National Museums Scotland, added: “The Galloway Hoard has repeatedly drawn international attention since its discovery, and we are delighted to bring it to Melbourne. The exhibition contains a spectacular and varied selection of material, with intricate detail revealed through extensive conservation work.”
Special Talks and Events
To mark the opening weekend, Dr Adrián Maldonado, Galloway Hoard Researcher at National Museums Scotland, will appear at Melbourne Museum on Saturday, 30 August. He will take part in a public conversation and deliver a series of pop-up talks on the people, culture, and trade of the Viking Age.
To accompany the display, Museums Victoria Publishing has released Treasures of the Viking Age: The Galloway Hoard. Written by Dr Martin Goldberg and Dr Mary Davis of National Museums Scotland, the book provides an in-depth account of the discovery, preservation, and continuing research into the hoard.
Treasures of the Viking Age: The Galloway Hoard runs at Melbourne Museum from 29 August 2025 until 26 August 2026. Click here for more information and ticketing details.
Top Image: Gold objects from the Galloway Hoard exhibition. Photographer: Eugene Hyland | Source: Museums Victoria
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