THE MUSIC of Ancient Rome will resound around Leicester’s Jewry Wall this weekend as the city’s exciting new Roman visitor attraction opens to the public.
Lyre player Michael Levy will join Roman re-enactors and City Mayor Peter Soulsby to cut the ribbon at the fully revamped Jewry Wall Museum at 9.50am on Saturday (26 July).
Visitors with tickets for the very first admission at 10am will then head inside to enjoy the museum’s new multimedia exhibits, interactive displays and stunning immersive video experience.
While the museum’s use of 21st century technology will help tell the story of Roman Leicester like never before, it’s the 2nd century archaeology that will provide the real insight into everyday life in Roman Leicester, with more than a hundred items on display that were discovered in Leicester and Leicestershire.
These include some of the finest Roman mosaics and wall plasters ever found in the UK, including the stunning Peacock and Blackfriars mosaics, as well as jewellery, pottery, bronzework (pictured) and coins.
Content at the new museum has been developed with the help of the University of Leicester, which has shared its expertise on everything from Roman hairstyles and clothing to language and religion – ensuring the displays are both entertaining and educational.
Mathew Morris, project officer at University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS), has been digging up and researching Roman Leicester for the past 20 years and is proud to have been an adviser to the Jewry Wall Museum project.
“Leicester was an important regional administrative centre in Roman Britain,” he said.
“Artefacts found in the city reveal its extensive links with the wider Roman world, including the Mediterranean as far afield as Egypt. The town's residents of civilians, soldiers and slaves were immersed in Roman culture – and excavations over the years, many carried out by ULAS, have revealed their lives in incredible detail.
“It is inspiring to see how their stories are now being brought vividly to life in the new Jewry Wall Museum and it’s been a privilege to collaborate with Leicester Museums and Galleries to showcase the very latest understanding of our Roman town."
The Grade II listed building, which housed both the former Vaughan College and the old museum that closed in 2017, has been fully refurbished, with a new pedestrian bridge from St Nicholas Circle making the building fully accessible for the first time.
City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “This magnificent new attraction means we can now shout proudly about our 2,000 years of history and Leicester’s place in Roman Britain.
“Thanks to archaeological discoveries and interactive technology, the Jewry Wall Museum can reveal the public and private lives of the residents of Ratae Corieltauvorum like never before, telling their stories in new and compelling ways.
“With more than a hundred items on display, discovered by archaeologists right here in Leicester, you’ll be able to see the mosaics and wall paintings that decorated their homes, the pottery they ate from, the jewellery they wore, and even the handy little tool that kept their fingernails clean!
“It’s a fascinating story, which I hope people living in Leicester and further afield will be keen to discover.
“And with no similar dedicated Roman visitor site within 80 miles of Leicester, our new Jewry Wall Museum is set to become the most important Roman-themed attraction in the Midlands.”
Phil Hackett, general manager of the Jewry Wall Museum, said: “Jewry Wall isn’t just a museum – it’s a bold reimagining of how we tell Leicester’s Roman story.
“By combining powerful archaeology, local discovery and world-class technology, we’ve created an experience that’s both deeply immersive and genuinely educational. We’re very proud to bring Leicester’s Roman roots to life, not just for local people, but for regional, national and international audiences.”
Tickets for the Jewry Wall Museum include a Roman Explorer Pass, which allows unlimited visits to the attraction for 12 months. Prices are £12.50 for adults, with children aged 5-15 paying half-price. A family ticket for two adults and two children is available for £32.
The museum shop will offer a range of books and Jewry Wall souvenirs, including a replica Roman brooch, a Peacock mosaic tile and even the museum’s take on a ‘tersorium’ – the sponge on a stick that was used by the Romans in public latrines before toilet paper was invented!
There’s also an attractive café - overlooking the remains of the Roman bath house – that will be open to the public from 10am every day, without the need to buy an admission ticket.
Further information and tickets are available now at jewrywall.com
Leicester’s new Jewry Wall Museum is on St Nicholas Walk, Leicester LE1 4LB. Opening hours will be 10am-4am from Sunday to Friday, and from 10am-5pm on Saturdays and bank holidays, with the last admission 90 minutes before closing time.
The new exhibition was designed by Haley Sharpe Design, the collections on display are from Leicester Museums & Galleries, the audiovisual content was created by Heritage Interactive Ltd and illustrative content and styling is by the artist Scott Tetlow.
Leicester Museums & Galleries are a National Portfolio Organisation funded by Arts Council England.
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Picture caption: Two of the Roman artefacts on display at Leicester’s new Jewry Wall Museum, which opens on Saturday 26 July
- Bull's head (bronze)
- Figure of a male in a toga holding an offering dish (bronze)
Photo credit: Ian Davis, Leicester City Council
Background note:
The remains of the bath house in Leicester are one of the largest civic Roman ruins in the country. Dating from around 125-130 AD, the remains have been referred to as ‘the Jewry Wall’ for centuries. The name is thought to have derived from the word ‘jurat’ – the name for the members of the medieval town’s corporation, who held their meetings nearby.
From the 2nd century onwards, the bath house would have been one of the most important public buildings in Roman Leicester, together with the forum, the basilica and the market hall.