Mythstories museum was founded as a website in June 1998, and then opened as a ‘real world’ museum on February 14th 1999. The concept was new and was quickly hailed as a “World First” by the BBC and The British Tourist Board.

“The World’s First Story Museum” had no precedents to follow, and over the twenty plus years of existence had the opportunity to define itself and explore how to amass a collection of artefacts that told the stories of its intangible collection of traditional tales.

Below you will be able to explore posts covering the key artefacts that made up the Mythstories Collection and find out where they are now!

They remain together here on this page for people who never made it to Mythstories museum of myth and fable.


Gallery Guides

How the collection was displayed at UCS.

The Romany Gypsy Storytelling Wagon

Bertilak & Morgan Processional Giants

Auca, a 17th Century Catalan Comic Strip

16 Canvas Panels of King Arthur’s Shropshire

Nine Acrylic Paintings of Shropshire Myths

5 Prints of Shropshire Stories by Joseph Scrobb

A constellation of exhibits on Wild Edric of the Stiperstones

Riverturtle is not singing

Traces of the Tudors Story Creation

Moreton Corbet Castle game

Grace Hallworth’s Collection of Dolls of many Nations

John Knox, one of Grace Hallworth's Dolls

Mary, ‘The King of the Fairies’ & the Welsh Pedlar

The King of the Fairies and Mary on display at Mythstories museum, Wem

Flying Donkeys Screen & Cartoons

Flying Donkeys Cartoons at UCS

“Who Tells Stories?” 2-D display

Queen's Parlour Cave awaiting stories

Gilgamesh in 2 paintings & 8 clay tablets

The snake sheds its skin

The Mythstories / Society for Storytelling Library

Library shelves at Mythstories museum, The Morgan Library, Wem 2003

The Victorian Wellington Storybox

Victorian Wellington Storybox

the Khavad, Kavad or Kaavad

How Ganesh got his elephant head

Elephant Charging at UCS

Three Folk-tales from India

Mouse Tiger acrylic painting by Dez Quarrell

A cluster of Russian Folk-Art

Palekh Box

“Shining Threads” Textile Tales

Artefacts for Customs & Festivals

Krishna stories – Two paintings

Krishna

Ola Palm Books or Dashavatara

The Ramayana Constellation

Mata ni pachedi (Temple Cloth)

image of Khodiyar Maa from temple cloth

The Canadian Stories Constellation

Wayang Golek Puppet from Java

Yama, God of Death & Justice


“Really enjoyable. Always had a smile on my face. Love storytelling – thank you!”

“How well science and myth can be combined when enthusiastically and entertainingly presented – excellent!”

“Friendly + something for everyone. Learnt a new story + more about the world we live in.”

“Great fun + entertaining as well as educational. Thank you. X”