Manx National Heritage will be marking the centenary of the Manx Museum with an exhibition.

It has announced the opening of MUSEUM 100, a year-long exhibition which will feature a kaleidoscope of over 150 objects and treasures from the Manx Museum’s collections, many of which will be on display for the first time.

Highlights include the oldest surviving Manx registered motor vehicle, the first piece of Viking treasure ever collected by the Manx Museum and a magnificent Bryan Kneale mural.

Katie King, MUSEUM 100 exhibition curator, said: ‘The Manx Museum is home to an extraordinary collection of artefacts and archives that help tell the story of the Isle of Man and its people.

‘Our national collections have grown over 100 years and reflect 10,000 years of our island’s cultural heritage. They reveal stories about who we are as a nation and provide a constant source of inspiration and pride for each new generation.

‘But if we look back some 150 years things were very different. It is hard to believe now, but there was a time when some Manx people felt their own history was so insignificant that the idea of a national museum was mocked? Surely, they said, there could be nothing of cultural significance to fill even one small room?’

The Manx Museum tells the story of the Isle of Man and its people, revealing stories about how it has grown as a nation.

Katie added: ‘When the Manx Museum first opened in 1922 this was a revolutionary approach. Whilst museums across the water were collecting antiquities and curios from far-off lands, the Manx Museum was collecting everyday objects belonging to ordinary people.

‘Our role is to preserve and make accessible these treasures for future generations - for you, your children and your grandchildren.’

Running alongside the exhibition will be a specially commissioned family audio adventure.

‘MISSION 100 – SAVE THE STORIES’ has been created for Manx National Heritage by children’s theatre specialists Hello Little People.

The audio adventure will take visitors on an immersive experience around the museum galleries as participants take on the role of Agent 100.

MUSEUM 100 opens on Saturday and runs until October 2023. It’s open daily from 9.30am to 4.30pm.