Jersey is a special Island. It is tiny – a small dot on the world map. But its size belies the breadth of its unique and varied heritage. This NEW free exhibition explores what makes us Jersey.
The Island has been a home, a haven, a paradise, a battleground, a prison. It has been a place of dreams and disasters, of connection and isolation, of vulnerability and strength, of unique creatures and ancient landscapes, of pioneers and tradition.
Over the course of hundreds of thousands of years, four million people have been part of its history.
This exhibition celebrates some of our Island’s most significant moments and discovers how living here has affected the lives of just a few of those four million. Using our most special objects as witnesses to our past, it explores how we have come to be an Island and Islanders.
Prehistoric mammoth skulls and dwarf red deer bones tell the story of becoming an island; gold torques and ancient coin hoards explore the theme of Jersey as a sacred island; royal charters describe the Island as separate and different. During the Battle of Jersey and the Occupation, the Island was a place of conflict. At other times, Jersey was a place of refuge. Islands are also a little bit exotic and Jersey has attracted artists, honeymooners and holidaymakers. In this new exhibition, discover stories of our Island and explore what it means to be Jersey.