Editing Lewis chessmen (section)

== Exhibition and ownership ==
[[File:Lewis chessmen 23.JPG|thumb|A queen and a warder (rook) in the joint exhibition in Edinburgh, 2010]]
They were exhibited by Ryrie at a meeting of the [[Society of Antiquaries of Scotland]], on 11&nbsp;April 1831. The chessmen were soon after split up, with 10 being purchased by [[Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe|C.K. Sharpe]] and the others (67&nbsp;chessmen and 14&nbsp;[[tables (board game)|tablemen]]) purchased on behalf of the British Museum in London.

[[Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe|C.K. Sharpe]] later found another bishop to take his collection up to 11, all of which were later sold to [[Albert Denison, 1st Baron Londesborough|Baron Londesborough]]. In 1888, they were again sold, but this time the purchaser was the [[Society of Antiquaries of Scotland]], who donated the pieces to the [[Royal Scottish Museum]] in Edinburgh. The 11&nbsp;are now on display in the [[National Museum of Scotland]].

Of the pieces given to the British Museum, most can be found in Room&nbsp;40, with the registration numbers M&ME&nbsp;1831, 11–1.78–159. Others have been lent to Scottish museums and temporary exhibitions.<ref name="British Museum">
{{cite press release
 |title = The Lewis Chessmen
 |publisher = [[The British Museum]]
 |place = London, UK
 |url = https://www.britishmuseum.org/the_museum/news_and_press_releases/statements/the_lewis_chessmen.aspx
 |access-date = 15 August 2013
}}
</ref>
A range of wooden or plastic replicas are popular items in the Museum shops.

The chessmen were number&nbsp;5 in the list of British archaeological finds selected by experts at the British Museum for a 2003 BBC documentary.<ref>{{cite episode |year = 2003 |network = BBC Television |series = documentary |title = [[Our Top Ten Treasures]] |people = presented by [[Adam Hart-Davis]], various experts from [[the British Museum]] }}</ref> They were one of the items featured in a 2010 [[BBC Radio 4|Radio&nbsp;4]] historical series.<ref>{{cite episode |year = 2010 |network = [[BBC Radio 4]] |series = ''[[A History of the World in 100 Objects]]'' |id =  "Status symbols" section, object&nbsp;61 }}</ref>

An exhibition entitled "The Lewis Chessmen: Unmasked" included chess pieces from both the National Museum of Scotland and British Museum collections, along with other relevant objects, touring Scotland in 2010–2011. The exhibition opened in Edinburgh on 21&nbsp;May 2010 and proceeded to Aberdeen, [[Shetland]], and the Museum nan Eilean in [[Stornoway]], opening there on 15&nbsp;April 2011.<ref>{{cite news |title = Lewis Chessman exhibition opens in Stornoway museum |department = Scotland highlands & islands |website = [[BBC News]] (bbc.co.uk)  |url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-13085170 |access-date = 15 April 2011 }}</ref>

An exhibition entitled "The Game of Kings: Medieval Ivory Chessmen from the Isle of Lewis" at [[The Cloisters]] in New York City included 34&nbsp;of the chess pieces, all on loan from the British Museum. The exhibit lasted through 22&nbsp;April 2012.<ref>
{{cite news
 |first = Ken |last = Johnson
 |date = 18 November 2011
 |title = Medieval foes with whimsey
 |newspaper = [[The New York Times]]
 |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/18/arts/design/the-game-of-kings-medieval-ivory-chessmen-from-the-isle-of-lewis-at-the-cloisters.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=cloisters&st=cse
 |access-date = 15 August 2013
}}</ref>

On 3&nbsp;April 2013, £1.8&nbsp;million from the [[European Regional Development Fund]] was granted to transform [[Lews Castle]], [[Isle of Lewis]], into a museum for [[Outer Hebrides|the Western Isles]]. Around £14&nbsp;million in total is to be spent on restoring and converting the property, which has been shuttered for nearly 25&nbsp;years. When completed the permanent displays will include 6&nbsp;Lewis chessmen.<ref>
{{cite press release
 |title = New funding announced for Lews Castle museum
 |date = April 2013
 |website = scotland.gov.uk
 |publisher = [[Government of Scotland]]
 |place = Edinburgh, UK
 |url = http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2013/04/investment-in-museum-03042013
}}
</ref>

The Edinburgh warder piece was displayed in a special exhibit at the [[Neue Galerie New York]] in 2023, as part of a special exhibit.<ref>
{{cite web
 |title = Ronald S. Lauder collection
  |publisher = [[Neue Galerie New York]]
 |place = New York, NY
 |url = https://www.neuegalerie.org/ronald-s-lauder-collection
 |access-date = 2023-02-28
 |website = neuegalerie.org
}}
</ref><ref name=BBC-2019-07-48824712/>