A MAJOR new Selby history exhibition is to open at the town's Abbey later this week, featuring a specially assembled collection of personal memories and historic objects from local people.

The Selby Treasures exhibition is the final event in the Selby 950 programme, a series of events, exhibitions and projects celebrating 950 years since the abbey was founded.

Created by curator Michala Pearson and artist Simon Grennan, this temporary museum of Selby shows treasures old and new, including Selby artefacts on loan from other regional museums and local archaeological finds. Much of the content was gathered through pop-up museum events in shops, libraries, workplaces and community group workshops, and the people who brought their objects and their stories are as much part of the exhibition as the objects themselves – with new drawings by Simon Grennan.

Objects from last year’s special Selby 950 pop-up museum events, their owners and their stories will be exhibited in Selby Abbey from January 25 to February 9.

Another element of the project will see the curators bring Selby artefacts that are currently held in regional museums and collections back to the town for the final exhibition. Participants and visitors to the exhibition will receive a special Selby Treasures brochure commemorating the project.

A timetable of free events and workshops will complement the exhibition and include sessions such as an Archaeological Talk, Show & Tells, Walk & Talks, Objects & Archives and a dedicated British Sign Language Walk & Talk session.

Selby Treasures is free to attend and will be open every day, between 9am and 4pm during the two weeks.

The project has been made possible thanks to money raised by National Lottery players as the National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded funding to Selby District Council to deliver a programme of arts and heritage events to celebrate the 950th anniversary of the founding of Selby Abbey.