Exhibitions

Snakes have been a part of Earth’s history for over 100 million years, and appear in myths and stories from all over the world – though often to mixed reviews. Our summer exhibition explores snake encounters from the 17th century, and how these have shaped our subsequent responses to snakes.

These remarkable reptiles slither through the collection at Milton’s Cottage, courtesy of the many copies of Paradise Lost on display.  Milton himself would have encountered snakes through the pages of bibles, travelogues, natural history books, works of heraldry and more.  From recipes to religious iconography, this exhibition includes a selection of serpents that Milton would have seen in the 17th century, as well as some of the later depictions he inspired.

During the Lunar Year of the Snake discover more about these fascinating creatures, and the many ways they have been represented in our culture across the centuries.