People in Norwich, Norfolk can now visit a major new display of ancient objects at the city’s historic castle. The Norwich Castle has opened its Gallery of Medieval Life, which showcases over 900 items from the middle ages. According to the British Museum, this is its first permanent medieval gallery located outside of London.
The new gallery is the result of a 27.5 million pound project to restore the castle keep and make it look as it did when it was a royal palace 900 years ago. While many of the objects were found through local archaeological digs, the London-based museum has sent dozens of its most important pieces to be shown in the city permanently. This means residents and school groups no longer have to travel to the capital to see some of the country’s most significant historical finds.
Visitors to the castle can now walk on the same floor levels used by Norman kings and see the tools and jewellery that people used centuries ago. The project was finished in August 2025 and is now fully open for regular tours and educational visits during the 2026 school year. Funding for the work came from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and local councils to help bring more visitors and history fans to the local area.
