Ralph Appelbaum Associates

A British Museum Spotlight Loan exhibition designed by RAA features the most significant Bronze Age find in Britain in over a century, displayed to the public for the first time. “Gathering Light: a Bronze Age Golden Sun” showcases the extraordinary 3,000-year-old object known as the “Shropshire sun pendant.”

A local metal detectorist discovered this beautiful gold object in the Shropshire Marshes in May 2018. As part of its National Programmes, the British Museum has partnered with four venues across the UK for this touring exhibition, with Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery being the first to host it, located near the pendant’s discovery site.

The pendant, technically called a “bulla,” dates from 1000 to 800 BC, during the late Bronze Age. Its elegant form and intricate decoration feature an exceptionally rare depiction of the sun, celebrating its life-giving power and revealing its importance in people’s lives and beliefs during this period. Shrewsbury Museum displayed the sun pendant alongside other significant archaeological finds, providing insight into the local landscape’s significance to Bronze Age Britain.

RAA’s modular design for the exhibition responds to these venues, featuring curving shapes and tactile surfaces inspired by the pendant. The layout comprises two half-circles, creating a concealed central space that hides the showcase from external views. Visitors are encouraged to weave through a secret path reminiscent of the metal detectorist’s journey before discovering this rare and spectacular artifact for themselves.