A child wearing a replica Staffordshire Hoard helmet with children behind holding replica yellow and black shields.

Travel back to the height of the Kingdom of Mercia during the 7^th Century at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.

Using our suite of private education studios, we will discover what it took to establish and expand an Anglo-Saxon kingdom before learning about the Staffordshire Hoard in its custom-built gallery here in the museum.

Using our learning studio decorated as a Saxon meeting hall, we will choose a name for our village deep in the heart of Mercia. After learning about daily life using our collection of replica objects, we will engage in a typical Anglo-Saxon shield wall battle as we expand the borders of Mercia. We will then sit down to hear the story of Penda’s Treasure, an ancient legend specially written in the bardic tradition for this session. School groups will then be able to visit the Staffordshire Hoard and discover the greatest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found.

Important Information

Parts of the tour will require movement and action, particularly during the shield battle. If your class has any access needs, please contact us in advance so steps can be taken to ensure everyone has the best experience.