Meet the People of the Empire Exhibition
Client: York Museums Trust / Yorkshire Museum
During construction of the York to Scarborough Railway Bridge in 1901, workmen discovered a large stone coffin, close to the River Ouse, on Sycamore Terrace. Inside was a skeleton, accompanied by an array of unusual and expensive objects. This chance find represents one of the most significant discoveries ever made from Roman York.
Working with a limited budget and floor space, York Castle Museum entrusted Inchpunch to help maximise the exhibition impact. The first job was to paint the existing cabinet exterior black. Inside we installed three printed black pvc panels with the middle section displaying the exhibition title. These panels hid the hole filled / scratched surface behind and gave the display a smooth and professional looking back drop. Finally a series of shelves and object labels were front mounted to the pvc panels and the artefacts placed in position.
The star attraction of the exhibition is the 5ft 4ins tall female skeleton of mixed North African ancestry. The bespoke, low level glass topped cabinet safely houses the skeleton whilst allowing visitors a clear and close up view. The vinyl graphics are carefully sized and positioned around the artefact so they do not obscure the visitors line of sight.