When did the York Archaeological Trust begin digging at Coppergate in York?
The York Archaeological Trust began digging at a site called Coppergate in 1976. Peter Addyman had founded this charity just four years earlier to protect local history.
The York Archaeological Trust began digging at a site called Coppergate in 1976. Peter Addyman had founded this charity just four years earlier to protect local history.
John Sunderland designed the final structure that opened in April 1984. The trust decided to recreate this excavated area on the same spot after archaeologists found timber buildings and animal pens under the soil.
By October 2022, the center had received twenty million visitors total. A five million pound investment in 2001 transformed the center with new technology before further funding arrived in February 2010.
The museum remained closed for nearly two years while repairs took place following severe flooding in December 2015. It reopened its doors in April 2017 after months of restoration work.
A replica of the Coppergate Helmet sits among the museum exhibits nearby but now resides in the Yorkshire Museum. This helmet was found near the center but is no longer displayed at the main site.