Blog

Enjoy the latest news and stories from the British Museum.

A section of the Bayeux Tapestry showing the funeral of King Edward the Confessor

Exhibitions and events / 22 May 2026

Everything you need to know about the Bayeux Tapestry

Our curators answer key questions and reveal some fascinating and surprising features of this historical document and work of art.

Jason Momoa and Temuera Morrison with their foreheads pressed together in Chief of War.

Exhibitions and events / 1 April 2026

How 'Chief of War' recreated the spirit and history of ancestral Hawaiʻi

How the TV drama built an authentic world shaped by deep cultural knowledge and inspired by historical clothing, weapons and sacred objects.

Two sides of an ancient gold coin of the Zanj featuring Arabic inscriptions.

Objects in focus / 11 March 2026

The Zanj Rebellion: an ancient coin reveals a fight for freedom

Discover how this rare coin provides insights into a bloody but little-known slave revolt and the people who forged a fleeting sovereignty.

Gold pendant in the shape of a heart with enamelled rose and pomegranate, held on a gold chain by a clasp in the shape of a hand.

Objects in focus / 15 May 2025

Britain's greatest treasure finds: everyday discoveries reshaping history

Whether found by accident or by detectorists, in potato fields or on the beach, there's so much to discover buried right beneath our feet.

A writing tablet made of bone or ivory depicting scenes of a pair of lovers. In the one on the left a woman places a flower crown on the head of the young man, and in the one on the right, a woman cradles an animal in her lap while the man carries a bird of prey

Objects in focus / 14 February 2025

Truly, madly, deeply: five ways the Middle Ages shaped modern romance

From seeing Valentine's Day as time for romance to the idea of giving your heart, medieval culture influenced modern ways of looking at love...

Stela of Neferabu, limestone, Deir el-Medina, Egypt, 19th Dynasty, reign of Ramesses II (1279–1213 BC).

Objects in focus / 17 December 2024

Eight histories of disabled people in ancient Egypt

Explore the lived experiences of disabled people in ancient Egypt and the ways they were incorporated into ancient society.

A skeleton with an open mouth as if laughing or screaming, with flowers and cacti growing from its bones and a lizard climbing up its chest.

Objects in focus / 30 October 2024

Frightening fiestas and sacred ceremonies

Halloween might feel a long way from anything 'spiritual', but these festivals show there can be meaning in the macabre.

Chaos in a classroom as two teachers come head-to-head and pupils look on

Objects in focus / 13 September 2024

Time(table) travellers

Missing the summer holidays? Tour the world through the ages and land back in the classroom with a fresh perspective.

Gold pendant in the shape of a semicircle, engraved with triangular shapes that reflect light to create a shimmering effect

Objects in focus / 17 June 2024

Solstice, sunshine and the sacred

From Bronze Age Shropshire to the Temple of the Sun in Peru, ancient peoples marked the solar calendar with acts of ritual and reverence.

A Greek pot in black and terracotta with scenes of women in a garden, graphic designs, a fluted neck and handles

Museum stories / 24 November 2023

History's most famous pot: the Meidias hydria

As the 'Meidias hydria' leaves London for the first time in 250 years, we trace the story of the life of this exceptional ancient Greek pot.

Ink and colour picture showing the head and shoulders of an elderly Chinese woman with her hair tied back. She is wearing green earings and a blue jacket decorated with gold leaves around the neck.

Exhibitions and events / 28 February 2023

An introduction to 19th-century China

In a global first, the resilience and innovation of 19th-century China were revealed in a major new exhibition.

A strand of pōkinikini being stabilised at the edge of the cloak, using tweezers and pins.

Objects in focus / 30 August 2022

Caring for the only known full kākāpō feather cloak in the world

A unique example of a Māori cloak or kahu kākāpō (‘cloak of kākāpō feathers’) has been preserved for future generations to enjoy.

A vibrant painting with purples, reds, blue and yellows showing a female deity's body erupting.

Exhibitions and events / 22 August 2022

Creation narratives and Feminine power

Lucy Dahlsen presents tales from world cultures highlighting feminine beings have played a pivotal role in a host of creation stories.