Temporary exhibitions and events

The Heritage service cares for a large collection of artefacts and images relating to the history of the Isle of Wight.

The collection is displayed within our three museums and every opportunity is taken to make them available more widely through temporary exhibitions and loans to other organisations.

Cowes Maritime Museum has an exhibition area that allows a changing display of images from the maritime collection.

The Museum of Island History has an exhibition about the history of Newport and its shops.

Library displays

The libraries at Ventnor, Ryde and Newport (Lord Louis Library) have a display screen for slideshows and a small case for changing displays. These are changed regularly and are available for community lead or partnership exhibitions.

Loan of museum material

The Heritage service loans many artefacts to other organisations to allow these items to be enjoyed by as many people as possible. Whether museum material can be loaned depends on the needs of each object. Museum staff can arrange a visit to discuss possible loans and the requirements for the items concerned, such as security and environmental conditions.

If we cannot loan you the original artefact, we may be able to provide photographs, images or replicas to supplement your display.

The Heritage service holds many community days at its sites throughout the year. We hold free and reduced entry days with added activities, talks and tours. We are involved in heritage open days, the Festival of Archaeology and the Family Learning Festival. Heritage service staff may also be able to assist with your event with a museum themed display, talk or activity.

Contact us to discover our heritage open days or follow us on our social media channels.

For more information about our temporary exhibitions, collection loans, or events, get in touch with our Exhibitions and Museums Officer.