An exhibition at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery in summer 2026 will explore humanity’s enduring fascination with uncovering the past. Treasure! Lost and Found showcases remarkable artefacts from prehistory to post-medieval times, revealing Dorset’s rich archaeological heritage. Featuring important loans from leading UK museums alongside rarely seen pieces from the museum’s own collection, the exhibition highlights objects once valued, then lost, buried, and rediscovered centuries later.

Through these items—from ceremonial objects to meaningful everyday possessions—visitors will uncover stories of loss and recovery, as well as the people who once owned them. The exhibition also examines modern archaeological practices, legal protections, and new technologies that help preserve and interpret such finds, offering a powerful connection to our shared human history.