Treasures of the Museum

Treasures of the Museum

Discover sixteen outstanding objects cared for by RAMM. Delve into Exeter’s astonishing history and discover the stories that lie behind some of RAMM’s treasured collections.

You can listen to an audio guide of the trail here: https://bit.ly/ramm-treasures-trail

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Treasures of the Museum Map

Stanley crane, In Fine Feather gallery

Stanley crane, In Fine Feather galleryStanley crane

Stanley crane, In Fine Feather gallery
(Treasures of the Museum 1 of 16)

Joey the Stanley crane was born in South Africa and was brought to the UK in 1914. He lived happily at Kew Gardens for many years where his personality gained him a lot of attention from the public and the press.

Listen to an audio guide of Stanley Crane here: http://bit.ly/stanleycrane

Corinthian helmet, Ancient Worlds gallery

Corinthian helmet, Ancient Worlds galleryCorinthian helmet

Corinthian helmet, Ancient Worlds gallery
(Treasures of the Museum 2 of 16)

Dating from the early part of the 5th century BC, this helmet would have belonged to a 'hoplite', an armoured soldier who fought on foot with a long spear.

Listen to an audio guide of the Corinthian helmet here: https://bit.ly/42f8p7B

Totem pole, World Cultures gallery

Totem pole, World Cultures galleryTotem pole

Totem pole, World Cultures gallery
(Treasures of the Museum 3 of 16)

This commissioned red cedar pole celebrates the connections between Exeter and the Nuu-chah-nulth of Vancouver Island. It was carved by renowned Nuu-chah-nulth artist and master carver Tim Paul. The pole was completed in June 1998 in the museum.

Listen to an audio guide of the Totem pile here: https://bit.ly/3SdYQkJ

Samurai armour, World Cultures gallery

Samurai armour, World Cultures gallerySamurai armour

Samurai armour, World Cultures gallery
(Treasures of the Museum 4 of 16)

This suit of armour was not used in combat. It is made from two different suits of armour, as the helmet and shoes come from another suit. Highly decorative, it includes a wide variety of materials such as silk, metal, and leather. Several suits of Japanese armour were donated to RAMM in the late 1870s.

Listen to an audio guide of the Samurai armour here: https://bit.ly/3uamwhS

Tahitian Mourner's costume Wold Cultures gallery

Tahitian Mourner's costume Wold Cultures galleryTahitian Mourner's costume

Tahitian Mourner's costume Wold Cultures gallery
(Treasures of the Museum 5 of 16)

This imposing costume was made in Tahiti to mourn aristocratic individuals. A senior relative would appear in a mourner's costume to lead a spectacular procession, accompanied by family members. The costume was acquired by 1st Lieutenant Francis Godolphin Bond on the HMS Providence, which arrived in Matavai Bay, Tahiti, on 9 April 1792.

Listen to an audio guide of the Tahitian Mourner's costume here: https://bit.ly/3vR5yWm

Charlotte Treadwin's lace, Finders Keepers? gallery

Charlotte Treadwin's lace, Finders Keepers? galleryCharlotte Treadwin's lace

Charlotte Treadwin's lace, Finders Keepers? gallery
(Treasures of the Museum 6 of 16)

Charlotte Treadwin was an internationally important designer and lace maker. Her lace collection was one of the first collections to come to RAMM in the 1860's. Lace-making was a really important industry in East Devon and helped many families to earn a living.

Listen to an audio guide of Charlotte Treadwin's lace here: https://bit.ly/3u2nSvb

Eshu, Finders Keepers? gallery

Eshu, Finders Keepers? galleryEshu

Eshu, Finders Keepers? gallery
(Treasures of the Museum 7 of 16)

Eshu is a Yoruban deity. In a protective role, Eshu stood in the palace gateway in both male and female forms. Only the male form is now at RAMM. The figure is said to have been 'presented' to the Rev. Henry Townsend by Oba Ogunbona, a senior chief of Abeokuta, during a time of conversion to Christianity.

Listen to an audio guide of Eshu here: https://bit.ly/3SeCu2t

Meteorite, Case Histories gallery

Meteorite, Case Histories galleryMeteorite

Meteorite, Case Histories gallery
(Treasures of the Museum 8 of 16)

The meteorite is four billion years old and is an early relic from the formation of our planet. It was discovered in the geo geology collection at RAMM in the 1990s. Where it was discovered and who gave it to RAMM is a mystery.

Listen to an audio guide of the meteorite here: https://bit.ly/3u0Itju

Giraffe, Case Histories gallery

Giraffe, Case Histories galleryGiraffe

Giraffe, Case Histories gallery
(Treasures of the Museum 9 of 16)

Gerald the Giraffe is RAMM's most iconic specimen. He encountered big game hunter Charles Peel at Moshi, Tanzania in 1901 and arrived at RAMM in 1919.

Listen to an audio guide of Gerald the Giraffe here: https://bit.ly/482aeWQ

Figure in a Landscape (Zennor), Courtyard

Figure in a Landscape (Zennor), CourtyardFigure in a Landscape (Zennor)

Figure in a Landscape (Zennor), Courtyard
(Treasures of the Museum 10 of 16)

Barbara Hepworth made this bronze cast sculpture in 1966. Her interest in pierced forms began in the 1930s when she was an advocate of direct carving against modelling. However by the late 1950s she had also turned to bronze casting. It is said to be inspired by the hamlet of Zennor, close to her home in St. Ives, Cornwall.

Listen to an audio guide of the Figure in Landcape (Zennor) here: https://bit.ly/3SALdgB

Dead Calm, Sunset at the Bight of Exmouth, Making History gallery

Dead Calm, Sunset at the Bight of Exmouth, Making History galleryDead Calm, Sunset at the Bight of Exmouth

Dead Calm, Sunset at the Bight of Exmouth, Making History gallery
(Treasures of the Museum 11 of 16)

Francis Danby painted this seemingly tranquil scene in 1855 but in the distance, behind the becalmed sailing ship, is a puff of smoke from a steam train – a transport revolution is underway.

Listen to an audio guide of the painting here: https://bit.ly/3SleydA

Hedgeland's model of Exeter, Making History gallery

Hedgeland's model of Exeter, Making History galleryHedgeland's model of Exeter

Hedgeland's model of Exeter, Making History gallery
(Treasures of the Museum 12 of 16)

The Hedgeland model of Exeter is one of the earliest surviving models of any town in Britain. The model was constructed by Caleb Hedgeland between 1817 and 1824 to record the city as it was during the late 1700s.

Listen to an audio guide of Hedgeland's model here: https://bit.ly/48SjQVh

Exeter puzzle jug, Making History gallery

Exeter puzzle jug, Making History galleryExeter puzzle jug

Exeter puzzle jug, Making History gallery
(Treasures of the Museum 13 of 16)

The Exeter puzzle jug is one of the most extraordinary pieces of medieval ceramics to have been discovered in northern Europe. It was discovered in pieces during building works in 1899 at the junction of Bear Street and South Street in Exeter. It was reconstructed by a conservator at the British Museum in the 1930s.

Listen to an audio guide of Exeter puzzle jug here: https://bit.ly/3SCQe8K

Seaton Down hoard, Making History gallery

Seaton Down hoard, Making History gallerySeaton Down hoard

Seaton Down hoard, Making History gallery
(Treasures of the Museum 14 of 16)

The hoard is made up of 22,888 Roman coins, by far the largest coin hoard found in Devon and the third largest ever found in Britain. It was buried in around AD 350 but why, and by whom is a mystery.

Listen to an audio guide of Seaton Down hoard here: https://bit.ly/47SY3LM

Kingsteignton figure, Making History gallery

Kingsteignton figure, Making History galleryKingsteignton figure

Kingsteignton figure, Making History gallery
(Treasures of the Museum 15 of 16)

This incredibly rare Iron Age figure was discovered by quarrymen near Kingsteignton in 1867. Radiocarbon dating found the figure to be 2,400 years old. The object only survived due to the wet conditions and the clay it was found in.

Listen to an audio guide of the Kingsteington figure here: https://bit.ly/3uaRM06

Rhynchosaur fossils, Down To Earth gallery

Rhynchosaur fossils, Down To Earth galleryRhynchosaur fossils

Rhynchosaur fossils, Down To Earth gallery
(Treasures of the Museum 16 of 16)

Rynchosaurs were lizard-like animals that lived around 250 million years ago in a period known as the Triassic. Their fossilised remains are found in Devon's red sandstone cliffs. The skull fragment was found at Peak Hill near Sidmouth.

Listen to an audio guide of the Rhynchosaur fossil here: https://bit.ly/3OlHvoE

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My Treasures of the Museum Notes

Treasures of the Museum

Treasures of the Museum

Discover sixteen outstanding objects cared for by RAMM. Delve into Exeter’s astonishing history and discover the stories that lie behind some of RAMM’s treasured collections.

You can listen to an audio guide of the trail here: https://bit.ly/ramm-treasures-trail

This trail shines a light on some of RAMM's most iconic objects, from an extraordinary collection of Roman coins discovered in East Devon, to our famous Giraffe named Gerald.

Delve into Exeter's astonishing history and discover the stories that lie behind some of RAMM's treasured collections.

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