Alistair Hardaker
Image:Thor's Hammer Pendant - Viking North at the Yorkshire Museum (Anthony Chappel-Ross)
Yorkshire Museum introduces annual sponsorship scheme for Viking artefacts, with proceeds supporting collection preservation and care.
The Yorkshire Museum has introduced a new fundraising initiative called ‘Adopt an Object’, which enables annual sponsorship of artefacts from its recently opened Viking North exhibition. The programme represents a collection-focused approach to revenue generation, with all proceeds reinvested directly into York Museum Trust collections, buildings and gardens to support preservation efforts for future generations.
The sponsorship scheme offers access to 14 Viking-era objects, including recently acquired pieces making their public debut. Among the available artefacts is the Thor’s Hammer Pendant, a small silver hammer with gold inlay that provides insight into Viking religious practices and represents a particularly significant find for North Yorkshire. The pendant is being displayed publicly for the first time as part of the exhibition.
The programme also includes the Coppergate Helmet, an Anglo-Saxon piece of armour discovered beneath Coppergate in York that predates Viking arrival in the region. Two major archaeological finds, the Bedale Hoard and Vale of York Hoard, are available for adoption. Recent metal analysis of the Bedale Hoard has revealed compounds originating from locations spanning Western Europe to Scandinavia and extending to the Islamic Caliphate. Both hoards contain internationally sourced materials including Irish silver bracelets, Russian neck rings, coins, a silver gilt vessel, gold brooches and silver ingots.
Additional objects available through the scheme include the Viking Silk Cap, Bone Plaque, Ormside Bowl and several pieces of stonework. The museum has designed the programme without limits on multiple adoptions of single objects, allowing broader participation in the sponsorship initiative. The scheme includes gifting options targeting history enthusiasts across different age groups.
Participants receive personalised adoption certificates acknowledging their contributions to the museum’s preservation work. The Viking North exhibition operates Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 5pm and is included in general admission to the Yorkshire Museum. The exhibition combines objects from the museum’s collection, the jointly owned Vale of York hoard shared with the British Museum, and specially loaned regional items including finds from the Viking Army Camp at Aldwark in North Yorkshire.
