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morning mood, courtesy of this very grumpy Romano-British sculpture 😑
🔎 Statue of a woman’s head. Limestone, from Towcester in the UK, 43–410 AD. Read more: https://ow.ly/S0ng50Qbryk
ℹ Excavated from the Roman site at Towcester and donated to the Museum by Sir J Fermor-Hesketh in 1903.
⏰ Black Friday is almost upon us!
Let us tempt you with some gorgeous goodies inspired by our exhibition…
With 20% off everything in our online store for all spends over £30, there’s never been a better time to treat yourself, or prepare for Christmas gift-giving 🎁
🛍 Use code BMBF23 at checkout to apply your discount. Offer ends on Monday 27 November.
💻 Shop the range at www.britishmuseumshoponline.org
Let us know how your is going in the comments 🧔 👇
🔎 Gold mask. Colombia, 100–1600 AD. Read more: https://ow.ly/klYh50QaEpN
ℹ Collected in the field by Eduardo Vasquez and donated to the Museum in 1888.
Journey with us along Myanmar’s Nam Mao River 🚣♂️
From around 1200, the Shan people (a Burmese ethnic group) began to expand their territory, eventually covering areas of modern-day Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and China 🗺
This polychromatic map depicts the convergence of three Shan states – the area is marked with green towns and bordered by multicoloured mountains 🎨⛰
During in the late 1880s, British colonial authorities began to impose geographical borders between regions in Myanmar – political frontiers had historically been far more flexible, waxing and waning over time. This map was likely created by British, Chinese, and Shan authorities to divide the area.
🗺 This magnificent map is a whopping 160 cm long! It’s currently on display in our exhibition, alongside cultural treasures spanning 1500 years of history.
🎫 Get your tickets at this link: https://ow.ly/ybe950QasfJ
🔎 Map showing three Shan states. Paper, from Myanmar, about 1889. Reproduced by kind permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library.
⏳ Time is running out! ⏳
Have you visited Manchester Museum’s South Asia Gallery yet?
We’d love to hear what you think! 📣
A partnership between the British Museum and Manchester Museum, the gallery was co-curated by members of local South Asian diaspora communities.
⏰ Now we’re recruiting for someone to help us explore the legacy and impact behind this ground breaking collaboration. There’s just today left to get your application in!
🔎 Think you’re the person we’re looking for? Apply here: https://ow.ly/6qWm50Q8I48
📸 A photograph of a mural by artists the Singh Twins inside Manchester Museum’s South Asia Gallery.
🎉 Welcome to the team, Tracey Emin! 🎉
We’re so pleased to announce that our newest Trustee is none other than the iconic British artist, Tracey Emin CBE RA 🎨🖌
Spot her on the left of this postcard in the Collection 👀
📣 “It’s one of my favourite museums in the entire world. I love everything Egyptian. I’m very proud to be a Trustee and I hope my presence will be a positive contribution.” – Tracey Emin
📰 Read all about it: https://ow.ly/KB5z50Q8fHi
🔎 Tracey Emin (b. 1963), ‘Big Balls’. Photomechanical print on paper, from the UK, 1993. Read more: https://ow.ly/plBw50Q8fjQ. Reproduced by permission of the artist.
ℹ This work was donated to the Museum in 2018 by Jeremy Cooper, a dealer and collector of postcards.
🍂 Autumn is truly here 🍂
This watercolour of a Welsh wood in November captures the seasonal atmosphere so wonderfully that it could almost be a photograph 📸
🔎 James Thomas Watts (1850–1930), ‘November evening in a Welsh wood’. Watercolour with scratching out, c. 1885–1895. Read more: http://ow.ly/W2mt30rjwWs
ℹ Purchased from the sale of David Fuller’s collection of Victorian watercolours at Christies, 2000.
A red poppy for .
The first Remembrance Day silence was held on 11 November 1919, in acknowledgement of the fatalities of the First World War.
Since then, it has become an annual opportunity to remember all those worldwide who have lost their lives due to conflict, while hoping for a peaceful future.
The Museum will observe the two-minute silence at 11.00.
🔎 Mary Delany (1700–1788), ‘Papaver Rheus (Common Corn Poppy)’. Collage of coloured papers, with bodycolour and watercolour, on black ink background, 1779. Read more: http://ow.ly/uZHJ30rh1c2
ℹ Bequeathed by Delany’s great-niece, Augusta Hall, Baroness Llanover.
🪔 Wishing a joyful to everyone celebrating from today! 🪔
Symbolising the triumph of light over darkness, the name ‘Diwali’ comes from a Sanskrit term meaning “row of lights” – just like the beautiful decorative lamps in this painting ✨✨
🔎 A painting depicting the month of Kartika. From the Bundi District in Rajasthan, India, around 1675–1700. https://ow.ly/Q1u750Q6h6u
ℹ Donated to the Collection in 1999.
Turning 120 has never looked this good! 🎉
We appreciate every face that comes through the Museum doors - here are a few that Art Fund have brought us closer to 🏛 ♥
Happy birthday, Art Fund! 🎂
🔎 Statue of Gudea, king of Lagash. Dolerite, from Iraq, 2130 BC. Read more: https://ow.ly/AKZq50Q4OHx
🔎 Bust of Zeus-Seraphis. Bronze, from Alexandria in Egypt, 1st century AD. Read more: https://ow.ly/JY4050Q4Oxg
🔎 Statue of the Virgin and Child. Alabaster and gold, from England, 1350–1375. Read more: https://ow.ly/8lj850Q4OtG
🔎 Statue of the Buddha Amida. Laquered wood, from Japan, 1300s. Read more: https://ow.ly/sqJH50Q4OAq
🔥 Tonight is in the UK! 🔥
“Remember, remember the fifth of November, the Gunpowder, Treason and Plot"
🃏 These playing cards illustrate the Gunpowder Plot – a plan to blow up the House of Lords with gunpowder.
Guy Fawkes, one of the plotters, was arrested while guarding explosives underneath the House of Lords in 1605.
🔎 Playing-cards depicting the events of the Gunpowder Plot. Etching, 1679. Read more: https://ow.ly/FV4y50Q4j1b
Our brand-new exhibition is now open!
This unprecedented exhibition offers ‘a striking introduction to the country's rich history’ (The Standard)
Book your tickets here: https://ow.ly/ZCUc50Q3oTZ
Experiencing decades of civil war and now ruled again by a military dictatorship, Myanmar – also known as Burma – is an isolated figure on the world stage today, whose varied and rich history is little known in the West.
From the Pyu peoples who founded some of Southeast Asia’s earliest urban centres, to the present-day country overshadowed by decades of civil wars and military rule, the many histories of Myanmar – also known as Burma – weave a complex web balancing interconnectedness and isolation.
For much of its history, Myanmar was composed of numerous states, kingdoms and ethnicities with fluid spheres of influence and connection. After the whole country was incorporated into the British Empire in 1886, colonial administrative procedures like the census were introduced. These established boundaries and stereotyped ethnically diverse peoples into one generic identity.
Myanmar’s arts and cultures have been shaped from an early date through creative ingenuity spurred by connections between global trade routes, religious networks and dozens of indigenous city states, each with their own unique character.
🏛 ‘Burma to Myanmar’ is on display until 11 February 2024.
Tickets are selling fast – book yours today: https://ow.ly/ZCUc50Q3oTZ
Supported by
Zemen Paulos and Jack Ryan
📸 Inside ‘Burma to Myanmar’.
👻 Step into the supernatural with a haunting Japanese folktale💀
This skeletal spectre is the vengeful ghost of Kohada Koheji. Murdered by his unfaithful wife and her callous lover, Koheji is shown preparing to give his sleeping spouse the fright of her life! 😱
It was intended as one from a series of 100 macabre designs featuring characters from well-known scary stories.
Hokusai was likely inspired by a party game called ‘Hyaku monogatari’ or ‘100 ghost tales’ – we’ve shared the rules for anyone planning a Halloween fright…
🌙 In the dead of night, gather with friends. Each person brings a candle.
🕯 One by one, tell a scary story. As their story concludes, the narrator must extinguish their flame.
👻 After the final wick is snuffed out, ghosts are said to emerge from the darkness…
This petrifying print is the work of Katsushika Hokusai, who was born in 1760.
Learn more about the life and times of one of Japan’s best-loved and most inventive artists with our handy Hokusai timeline: https://ow.ly/TQPH50Q2p66
🔎 Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849), ‘Kohada Koheiji’ from the series ‘100 Ghost Tales’. Colour woodblock print on paper, from Japan, around 1833. Read more: https://ow.ly/kj2q50Q2oGR
💀 Spooky skulls for some seasonal skeletonin! 💀
🎃 Happy Halloween! 🎃
👻 Ready for another ? Follow this link for wicked witches, headless horsemen, and other fear-inducing favourites from the Museum’s collection of Prints and Drawings: https://ow.ly/N3yv50Q1Qox
🐜 We’ve been so ‘antsy’ to share this artwork! 🐜
‘Insects’ is a series of screenprints by the American artist Ed Ruscha. Our new display brings the entire portfolio together, showcasing a horde of life-sized critters crawling across the flat surfaces 🐛🦗
Accompanying these creepy crawlies are a series of other works by Ruscha, including seven soft-ground etchings titled ‘Los Francisco San Angeles’, and two prints from the artist's 2014 series of ‘Rusty Signs’, which appear to comment on the fading of the American Dream.
🏛 ‘Ed Ruscha: roads and insects’ is on display in Room 90a of the Museum until 28 January 2024. Learn more: https://ow.ly/3kVM50PXH9i
🔎 Ed Ruscha (b. 1937), 'Swarm of Red Ants', from the series 'Insects'. Screenprint on paper, 1972. Gift of a Private Collector in Memory of Paul Thomson to the American Friends of the British Museum. Reproduced by permission of the artist. Read more: https://ow.ly/4sOz50PXH3b
🕰 What makes you tick? 🕰
Don’t forget to turn your clocks back by one hour this evening if you want to keep them ticking on time! British Summer Time ends tonight, giving UK residents an extra hour in bed.
From the earliest examples of time-keeping technology to complex and highly decorative domestic clocks, there are hundreds of clocks and watches on display in the Museum.
⌚ Cuckoo about clocks and wanting more watches? Head to Rooms 38 and 39 for a host of horological delights https://ow.ly/QOfk50PT2F1
Muteminet – the elegant woman commemorated with this ancestor bust – was a musician who lived in Egypt during the 2nd millennium BC 🪕🎵
Ancestor busts were often placed in the homes of living descendants or entombed with other family members – the ancient Egyptians believed that contact could be maintained with relatives even after their death.
Perhaps because they represented known individuals, it’s unusual for ancestor busts to have hieroglyphic inscriptions – Muteminet’s is a rare example!
Muteminet’s bust is currently on display in our Touring Exhibition following the international race to unlock the secrets of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs 🔓🗝
🏛 ‘Egyptian hieroglyphs: unlock the mystery’ will be on display at Torquay Museum in Devon until 18 February 2024. Find out more here: https://ow.ly/pcKJ50PXaI3
🔎 Ancestor bust of Muteminet. Limestone, from Thebes in Egypt, 1292–1189 BC. Read more: https://ow.ly/QJgq50PXa6E
⏳ There are just a few weeks left to see the ‘Admonitions Scroll’ ⏳
📜 This scene is the oldest surviving section of the ‘Admonitions of the Instructress to the Court Ladies’, an early masterpiece of Chinese painting. It illustrates a poetic text by the 3rd-century politician Zhang Hua which aimed to correct the poor behaviour of an empress.
🐻 The vignette depicts the moment Lady Feng selflessly threw herself into the path of a bear to protect the Emperor Yuan of Han (r. 48–33 BC). See if you can spot another of the emperor’s consorts ignobly fleeing into the background!
🏛️ Beloved by the Qianlong emperor, you can admire the 3m-long scroll yourself in its custom-built gallery, Room 91a of the Museum.
🎟️ The next round of free tickets will go live at 12pm today, Thursday 26 October. Get yours before they’re gone: https://ow.ly/aaet50PQ6sk
🎧 If you’re unable to make it in person, don’t forget you can access a special curator’s commentary with our Museum Audio App! Download it here: https://ow.ly/Sr3l50Q0WjP
📅 This milestone of Chinese art can only be shown for six weeks each year for its preservation. The ‘Admonitions Scroll’ will be taken off public display on 15 November 2023.
🗓 For those ready to plan ahead, we’re happy to confirm the scroll will next be displayed from 8 July – 18 August 2024. Visiting information will be available nearer the time.
🔎 Traditionally attributed to Gu Kaizhi (AD 345–406), 'The Admonitions Scroll' ('Admonitions of the Instructress to the Court Ladies'). Handscroll painting, China, 5–7th century AD. Read more: http://ow.ly/69WH50L4ytl
Are you brave enough to draw in paint? 😲 🖌
This lively work projects confidence: it was made by the Italian artist Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione using oil paint on paper, a technique that left no room for changes of mind – each line had to be perfect first time!
Castiglione was born in the port city of Genoa, then an artistic powerhouse that rivalled Florence and Rome. His fame and talent bolstered the city’s reputation for producing artists with a flair for drawing ✏
Showcasing prints and drawings from Genoa’s golden age, our new display celebrates the city’s artistic prowess and the virtuosity of its artists.
🏛 ‘Superb line: prints and drawings from Genoa 1500–1800’ is on display in Room
90 of the Museum until 1 April 2024. Visiting is free – just drop in! Find out more: https://ow.ly/htNP50PUwll
🔎 Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione (1609–64). Shepherds and animals, about 1650. Read more: https://ow.ly/lCe350PX2VM
⏳ The countdown is on ⏳
Our exhibition will be opening in just a few days’ time, on Thursday 2 November!
Here’s a sneak peek of our teams hard at work adding the finishing touches to the displays before we welcome our first visitors 🏛
🎫 Haven’t got a ticket yet? Book yours here: https://ow.ly/2qgm50Q06ce
📸 Inside the exhibition
Is imitation the sincerest form of flattery? 🤔
The woman immortalised in this elegant limestone head has styled herself to look like the legendary Egyptian queen Cleopatra VIII.
While the pointed chin and strongly curved nose strongly resemble other portraits of Cleopatra, this woman is not shown wearing a crown or diadem which would indicate a royal status 👑
From 46–44 BC Cleopatra lived in Rome with Julius Caesar, her lover and political ally. Her notoriety and frequent public appearances made her a celebrity, and her style and mannerisms were copied by Roman women 💃✨
🔎 Portrait head of a woman resembling Cleopatra VII. Limestone, from Italy, around 50–30 BC. Read more: https://ow.ly/4NAq50PsPi9
💐 Can you speak the language of flowers? 💐
The enamelled pansies on this dazzling 17th century locket are more than just a beautiful bloom – they were a romantic symbol of love and longing 💕
During the Elizabethan era, pansies were better-known by the name ‘heartsease’ due to their popular romantic meaning. The name ‘pansies’ comes from the French ‘penseés’, meaning thoughts – so to court someone with pansies was a way of letting them know you were thinking of them, and hoping they were thinking of you too 💐 ♥
💎✨ Set with glittering diamonds, emeralds, opals, rubies and pearls, this jewel opens to reveal a miniature portrait of Sir Bevill Grenville 🖼
Grenville was a Royalist general in the English Civil War. He gifted this locket – known as the Grenville jewel – to his wife when the political climate kept them apart ⚔
🏛 Visit Room 2a – housing the beautiful Waddesdon Bequest – to see this glittering gem alongside nearly 300 Renaissance treasures: https://ow.ly/7i9f50PSQV5
🔎 ‘The Grenville Jewel’. Gold oval locket decorated with champlevé enamel, set with a sapphire, rubies, emeralds, diamonds, opals. Made in England, 1635–1640. https://ow.ly/zn0w50PRgjG
Once so poor he had to beg for land to bury his parents, by the age of 40 the Hongwu Emperor ruled China as the founder of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). He was born in 1328.
Born Zhu Yuanzhang, the future emperor was orphaned at 16 and became a monk to avoid starvation. Rather than following a monastic life, he joined a rebel force and rose through the ranks to become a military leader ⚔
The previous rulers, the Mongols, had generally been ineffective towards the end of their Yuan dynasty (1279–1368). Peasant unrest was compounded by droughts and famines, and there were many rebellions against the alien ruling power.
Zhu Yuanzhang emerged victorious among the various warring factions, declared himself emperor of the new Ming (literally ‘brilliant’) dynasty, and took the regnal name Hongwu, which means ‘vast military accomplishment’ 👑
The Ming became one of the more stable and longer-lasting dynasties of Chinese history, famed for its exquisite blue-and-white porcelain. During the
Ming dynasty technology and artistry flourished, creating works of such delicacy and intricacy that they are still treasured today 🏺
📽Join Curator Jessica Harrison-Hall as she explores how the Ming dynasty was able to reach new heights of porcelain perfection https://ow.ly/bOUy50PSQhv
🏛 To feast your eyes on more beautiful Chinese ceramics, head to Room 95 of the Museum – housing the Sir Percival David Collection: https://ow.ly/Wgjo50PSPAN
🎻 ‘African prince, how did you survive?
Finding passion in strings
while your father pulled the strings of your life.’ 🎻
This gentle sketch is a miniature likeness of the violin virtuoso George Bridgetower (1778–1860).
Born Hieronimo Hyppolito de Augusto in 1778 in Poland, by 1789 Bridgetower had made his professional debut in Paris as a violin prodigy.
Within the year he was performing for royal patrons in London, appearing in flowing robes under the name ‘African Prince’.
Over the course of his life he played across Europe, collaborating with composers including Beethoven.
Bridgetower was one of people explored in a youth initiative that the Museum hosted with the London Borough of Camden exploring Black British History. Working with the Museum collection, a group of young people considered the life and times of individuals from the African diaspora in Britain, from the 1500s to the present day.
The poetic phrase shared above is taken from one of the student’s creative responses to Bridgetower’s life 📜🖋
🏛 Visit our blog to hear more young people’s responses to the Black histories in the Museum collection: https://ow.ly/o2WF50PSRC5
🔎 Henry Edridge (1768–1821), ‘Portrait of George Augustus Polgreen Bridgetower’. Graphite with watercolour on paper, from Britian, around 1795–1800. Read more: https://ow.ly/o2WF50PSRC5
💍✨ With dazzling jewellery that combines centuries-old motifs with contemporary flair, our newest free display explores the stories of three women helping to revive the tradition of silversmithing in Oman.
‘Making their mark: Women silversmiths from Oman’ celebrates three generations of women silversmiths from the Sultanate of Oman: Tuful Ramadan (1949–2021), Mahfoudha al-Balushi (b. 1965) and Fatma al Najjar (b. 1992).
Their beautiful work is showcased through objects on display, and their inspirational personal testimonies highlight their technical skills and passion for their profession in a region where silversmithing is usually done by men.
🏛 The Asahi Shimbun Displays ‘Making their mark: Women silversmiths from Oman’ will be on display in Room 3 of the Museum until 17 December.
🔗 Find out more and plan your visit: https://ow.ly/XPMX50PYt1t
Supported by The Asahi Shimbun.
📸 Photo of Tuful Ramadan brushing handcrafted silver chain, Oman, 1990s. (c) HH Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq Al Said. Photo (c) Neil Richardson and Marcia Dorr.
“Few men are born brave; many become so from care and force of discipline.” – Vegetius
Our newly announced will explore life in the Roman army through the eyes of the soldiers that lived it: https://ow.ly/bJiW50PXw6M
The Roman empire spanned more than a million square miles and owed its existence to its military might. By promising citizenship to those without it, the Roman army also became an engine for creating citizens, offering a better life for soldiers who survived their service.
What did life in the Roman army look like from a soldier’s perspective? What did their families make of life in the fort? How did the newly-conquered react?
The exhibition will take visitors on a journey across the empire, as well as through the life and service of an ordinary Roman soldier, from enlistment and campaigns to fort life and enforcing occupation, then finally retirement.
🎫 Don’t miss out on our early bird offer – secure your discounted tickets now and save at least 20%. Book your tickets here: https://ow.ly/bJiW50PXw6M
‘Legion: life in the Roman army’ opens 1 February 2024
🔎 Bronze cavalry helmet, England, 1st century AD.
💃 ‘Whatsoever you desire I will give it you, even to the half of my kingdom, if you will but dance for me. O, Salomé, Salomé, dance for me!’ 🎭
This striking illustration was created to accompany Oscar Wilde’s tragic play, ‘Salome’.
In the play, Salome is asked to dance for King Herod in exchange for anything she wants. Salome dances the ‘dance of the seven veils’ and requests the head of John the Baptist on a silver platter.
This illustration to the tragedy was made by artist Aubrey Beardsley in 1893, who was known for his striking black ink drawings, inspired by Japanese prints.
Oscar Wilde – full name Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde – was born in 1854.
🔎 Aubrey Beardsley (1872–1898), ‘The toilette of Salome’. Pen and black ink, 1893. Read more: http://ow.ly/WGE630runpi
This Greek amphora depicts one of the most touching stories from the life of the Trojan hero Aeneas 🏺
At the end of the Trojan war as the Greeks rampaged through the city, Aeneas saw a vision commanding him to evacuate his family, flee and found a great city overseas.
This scene shows Aeneas in full armour carrying his elderly father, Anchises, to safety.
The exploits of the Trojan hero Aeneas, including this moving story, are recounted in the Aeneid, an epic poem written by the Roman poet Virgil, who was born in 70 BC 📜
⚔ Uncover more of the myth in our blog: https://ow.ly/XEfO50PR1yc
🔎 Amphora with scene from the Aeneid. Pottery, from Attica in Greece, 490–480 BC. Read more: https://ow.ly/Gerq50PQN9n
👑 This silver coin depicts the first Norman King of England, William the Conqueror 👑
William, a duke from Normandy in north-west France, defeated the English King Harold II at the Battle of Hastings, which was fought in 1066 ⚔
According to popular legend and the depiction of the battle in the Bayeux Tapestry, William was able to secure victory after Harold was killed by an arrow to the eye 🏹
🏛 See this coin alongside other objects from the Norman conquest in Room 41 of the Museum, the Sir Paul and Lady Ruddock Gallery of Sutton Hoo and Europe, AD 300–1100: https://ow.ly/b7mg50PQLXG
🔎 Penny depicting William the Conqueror. Silver, from Wi******er in England, 1066–1087. Read more: https://ow.ly/KoVk50PQLE2
Dancing until the sun comes up takes on a new meaning in this Japanese woodblock print, which tells the story of the sun goddess Amaterasu 🌄
☀ As goddess of the sun Amaterasu ruled over the entire celestial realm as one of the most important kami – deities in the native Shintō religion.
🗻 Her brother, the storm god Susanoo, was jealous and destroyed her fields and palaces. The grieving Amaterasu retreated to a mountain cave, plunging the world into darkness.
🐓 The other kami gathered to lure the sun goddess out. They found cockerels, whose crowing precedes the dawn, and hung a mirror in front of her cave. See if you can spot the mirror in the upper right of the print!
💃The goddess of dance, Amenouzume, lit a bonfire and began to perform. Amenouzume can be seen holding a ‘gohei’ (a wooden wand with paper streamers) and a ‘suzu’ bell tree, both of which are still used in ‘kagura’ Shintō dances today.
🎉 Raucous laughter from the assembled deities encouraged Amaterasu to peak out from the cave and light was thus restored to the world.
This print is the work of Utagawa Hiroshige – a master of the ukiyo-e woodblock printing tradition. Throughout his long career he created a phenomenal 8000 prints, mostly subtle and soft landscapes with mist or moonlight 🌙
Hiroshige died in 1858.
🔎 Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858), ‘A Musical Performance by the Deities Entices the Divine Radiance’ from the series ‘Illustrated Guide to the History of Japan’. Colour woodblock print on paper, Japan, 1847–52. Read more: https://ow.ly/fwLB50PR629
🍻 Prost! 🍻
We’re toasting the 213th anniversary of the first with this amber tankard – imagine sipping your drink from this masterpiece! ✨
Dating to the mid-17th century, the tankard was probably made in Königsberg (modern-day Kaliningrad, Russia) and may originally have belonged to Queen Christina of Sweden.
Each side of the tankard has been carved with a figure representing one of the ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ – Pride, Gluttony, Lechery, Anger, Envy, Avarice and Sloth.
🏛 Marvel at this tankard alongside other treasures from Renaissance Europe in Room 2a of the Museum, The Waddesdon Bequest: https://ow.ly/MFUO50PRbk1
🔎 Amber, enamel, ivory and silver lidded tankard decorated with seven ‘vices’. Probably made in Königsberg, around 1640–1660. Read more: https://ow.ly/mNGZ50PRbhR
This haunting lithograph was created by the renowned sculptor Richard Hunt when he was just 19, in response to the brutal murder of Emmett Till in August 1955.
Emmett Till, like Hunt, was an African American from Chicago. At just 14 years of age, Till was tortured and lynched after being falsely accused of harassing a young white woman while visiting relatives in Mississippi.
Hunt uses the image of Prometheus – in Greek myth, a man condemned by Zeus to eternal suffering – to express the torment, pain, and fear experienced by Emmett Till.
In the aftermath of his tragic death, Till posthumously emerged as an enduring symbol of the civil rights movement.
🏛 You can learn more about the impact and importance of Richard Hunt’s work in our curator’s blog: https://ow.ly/QAUv50PR2Bo
🔎 Richard Hunt (born 1935), Prometheus. Lithograph, 1956. Presented anonymously in honour of Noël Annesley © Reproduced by permission of the artist. Read more: https://ow.ly/VumK50PR2xu
❄ Sparkling white trees, soft sunlight and a crisp chill in the air – who doesn’t love waking up to a fresh blanket of snow? ❄
This frosty scene, entitled ‘Morning after a snowfall at Koishikawa’ was created by the celebrated Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai.
It perfectly captures the childlike wonder of discovering that snow has fallen overnight – one woman leans excitedly from the window of an inn, pointing to the snowcapped Mt Fuji in the distance 🗻
It is one print from a series of thirty-six, which all depict the beautiful Mt Fuji throughout the changing seasons. Hokusai was 72 when he began his ‘Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji’ – the series also features his iconic print, popularly called the ‘Great Wave’ 🌊
A beautiful early example of the ‘Great Wave’ and this ‘Morning after a snowfall’ will both be on display in our international touring exhibition ‘Beyond the Great Wave: works by Hokusai from the British Museum’ which opens at the in California on Saturday 21 October.
Hokusai's works are subjective and sublime - visitors will be able to examine his artistic expression through over 100 prints, books and objects, several of which have never been seen internationally before 🌍
🌊 Read more about the exhibition here: https://ow.ly/YF3s50PMGrN
🔎 Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849), ‘Morning after a Snowfall at Koishikawa’ from the series ‘Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji’. Colour woodblock print on paper, from Japan, 1832. Read more: https://ow.ly/SHIf50PLhAz
The many-armed octopus has been mesmerizing us for millennia! 🐙
We’re marking with this 3000-year-old Greek wine jar. It was created by the Mycenaeans, who thrived around the Greek Aegean from 1600 to 1100 BC.
The Myceaneans adopted the octopus motif from Minoan Crete, where it was used on prestigious items, decorating everything from ceramic coffins to large pottery vessels similar to this one 🏺
Such sea-creatures were no doubt as familiar to the ancient inhabitants of the Greek islands as they are to their modern counterparts today 🐙
🏛 See this outstanding octopus in Room 12 of the Museum on your next visit: https://ow.ly/Sxsl50PQMap
🔎 Krater with an octopus. Ceramic, from Ialysus in Greece, 1375–1300 BC. Read more: https://ow.ly/cyrU50PMK4q
🦢 Take a ‘gander’ at the goose on this pilgrim badge! 🦢
Badges of this kind were sold across Europe in the Middle Ages as souvenirs from important Christian sites.
The goose was associated with St Martin of Tours, a 4th-century saint who founded some of the first monasteries in France, and is best known for cutting his cloak in half to share it with a beggar.
Legend suggests that St Martin once concealed himself inside a barn filled with geese to avoid becoming ordained as a bishop. However, their noisy squawking betrayed St Martin’s hiding place: he was ordained in 371, and the goose was used as his symbol from then on 🦢
🔎 Pilgrim badge showing a goose wearing a necklace. Lead alloy, from Europe, 16th century. Read more: https://ow.ly/SrWU50PKcye
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| Tuesday | 10am - 5pm |
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⏰ Black Friday is almost upon us! Let us tempt you with some gorgeous goodies inspired by our #BurmaToMyanmar exhibition… With 20% off everything in our online store for all spends over £30, there’s never been a better time to treat yourself, or prepare for Christmas gift-giving 🎁 🛍 Use code BMBF23 at checkout to apply your discount. Offer ends on Monday 27 November. 💻 Shop the range at www.britishmuseumshoponline.org
⏰ Black Friday is almost upon us! Let us tempt you with some gorgeous goodies inspired by our #BurmaToMyanmar exhibition… With 20% off everything in our online store for all spends over £30, there’s never been a better time to treat yourself, or prepare for Christmas gift-giving 🎁 🛍 Use code BMBF23 at checkout to apply your discount. Offer ends on Monday 27 November. 💻 Shop the range at www.britishmuseumshoponline.org
⏰ Black Friday is almost upon us! Let us tempt you with some gorgeous goodies inspired by our #BurmaToMyanmar exhibition… With 20% off everything in our online store for all spends over £30, there’s never been a better time to treat yourself, or prepare for Christmas gift-giving 🎁 🛍 Use code BMBF23 at checkout to apply your discount. Offer ends on Monday 27 November. 💻 Shop the range at www.britishmuseumshoponline.org
⏰ Black Friday is almost upon us! Let us tempt you with some gorgeous goodies inspired by our #BurmaToMyanmar exhibition… With 20% off everything in our online store for all spends over £30, there’s never been a better time to treat yourself, or prepare for Christmas gift-giving 🎁 🛍 Use code BMBF23 at checkout to apply your discount. Offer ends on Monday 27 November. 💻 Shop the range at www.britishmuseumshoponline.org
Journey with us along Myanmar’s Nam Mao River 🚣♂️ From around 1200, the Shan people (a Burmese ethnic group) began to expand their territory, eventually covering areas of modern-day Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and China 🗺 This polychromatic map depicts the convergence of three Shan states – the area is marked with green towns and bordered by multicoloured mountains 🎨⛰ During in the late 1880s, British colonial authorities began to impose geographical borders between regions in Myanmar – political frontiers had historically been far more flexible, waxing and waning over time. This map was likely created by British, Chinese, and Shan authorities to divide the area. 🗺 This magnificent map is a whopping 160 cm long! It’s currently on display in our #BurmaToMyanmar exhibition, alongside cultural treasures spanning 1500 years of history. 🎫 Get your tickets at this link: https://ow.ly/ybe950QasfJ 🔎 Map showing three Shan states. Paper, from Myanmar, about 1889. Reproduced by kind permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library.
🔥 Tonight is #BonfireNight in the UK! 🔥 “Remember, remember the fifth of November, the Gunpowder, Treason and Plot" 🃏 These playing cards illustrate the Gunpowder Plot – a plan to blow up the House of Lords with gunpowder. Guy Fawkes, one of the plotters, was arrested while guarding explosives underneath the House of Lords #OnThisDay in 1605. 🔎 Playing-cards depicting the events of the Gunpowder Plot. Etching, 1679. Read more: https://ow.ly/FV4y50Q4j1b
💀 Spooky skulls for some seasonal skeletonin! 💀 🎃 Happy Halloween! 🎃 👻 Ready for another #FrightAtTheMuseum? Follow this link for wicked witches, headless horsemen, and other fear-inducing favourites from the Museum’s collection of Prints and Drawings: https://ow.ly/N3yv50Q1Qox
🕰 What makes you tick? 🕰 Don’t forget to turn your clocks back by one hour this evening if you want to keep them ticking on time! British Summer Time ends tonight, giving UK residents an extra hour in bed. From the earliest examples of time-keeping technology to complex and highly decorative domestic clocks, there are hundreds of clocks and watches on display in the Museum. ⌚ Cuckoo about clocks and wanting more watches? Head to Rooms 38 and 39 for a host of horological delights https://ow.ly/QOfk50PT2F1
💐 Can you speak the language of flowers? 💐 The enamelled pansies on this dazzling 17th century locket are more than just a beautiful bloom – they were a romantic symbol of love and longing 💕 During the Elizabethan era, pansies were better-known by the name ‘heartsease’ due to their popular romantic meaning. The name ‘pansies’ comes from the French ‘penseés’, meaning thoughts – so to court someone with pansies was a way of letting them know you were thinking of them, and hoping they were thinking of you too 💐 ♥ 💎✨ Set with glittering diamonds, emeralds, opals, rubies and pearls, this jewel opens to reveal a miniature portrait of Sir Bevill Grenville 🖼 Grenville was a Royalist general in the English Civil War. He gifted this locket – known as the Grenville jewel – to his wife when the political climate kept them apart ⚔ 🏛 Visit Room 2a – housing the beautiful Waddesdon Bequest – to see this glittering gem alongside nearly 300 Renaissance treasures: https://ow.ly/7i9f50PSQV5 🔎 ‘The Grenville Jewel’. Gold oval locket decorated with champlevé enamel, set with a sapphire, rubies, emeralds, diamonds, opals. Made in England, 1635–1640. https://ow.ly/zn0w50PRgjG
Once so poor he had to beg for land to bury his parents, by the age of 40 the Hongwu Emperor ruled China as the founder of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). He was born #OnThisDay in 1328. Born Zhu Yuanzhang, the future emperor was orphaned at 16 and became a monk to avoid starvation. Rather than following a monastic life, he joined a rebel force and rose through the ranks to become a military leader ⚔ The previous rulers, the Mongols, had generally been ineffective towards the end of their Yuan dynasty (1279–1368). Peasant unrest was compounded by droughts and famines, and there were many rebellions against the alien ruling power. Zhu Yuanzhang emerged victorious among the various warring factions, declared himself emperor of the new Ming (literally ‘brilliant’) dynasty, and took the regnal name Hongwu, which means ‘vast military accomplishment’ 👑 The Ming became one of the more stable and longer-lasting dynasties of Chinese history, famed for its exquisite blue-and-white porcelain. During the Ming dynasty technology and artistry flourished, creating works of such delicacy and intricacy that they are still treasured today 🏺 📽Join Curator Jessica Harrison-Hall as she explores how the Ming dynasty was able to reach new heights of porcelain perfection https://ow.ly/bOUy50PSQhv 🏛 To feast your eyes on more beautiful Chinese ceramics, head to Room 95 of the Museum – housing the Sir Percival David Collection: https://ow.ly/Wgjo50PSPAN
Once so poor he had to beg for land to bury his parents, by the age of 40 the Hongwu Emperor ruled China as the founder of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). He was born #OnThisDay in 1328. Born Zhu Yuanzhang, the future emperor was orphaned at 16 and became a monk to avoid starvation. Rather than following a monastic life, he joined a rebel force and rose through the ranks to become a military leader ⚔ The previous rulers, the Mongols, had generally been ineffective towards the end of their Yuan dynasty (1279–1368). Peasant unrest was compounded by droughts and famines, and there were many rebellions against the alien ruling power. Zhu Yuanzhang emerged victorious among the various warring factions, declared himself emperor of the new Ming (literally ‘brilliant’) dynasty, and took the regnal name Hongwu, which means ‘vast military accomplishment’ 👑 The Ming became one of the more stable and longer-lasting dynasties of Chinese history, famed for its exquisite blue-and-white porcelain. During the Ming dynasty technology and artistry flourished, creating works of such delicacy and intricacy that they are still treasured today 🏺 📽Join Curator Jessica Harrison-Hall as she explores how the Ming dynasty was able to reach new heights of porcelain perfection https://ow.ly/bOUy50PSQhv 🏛 To feast your eyes on more beautiful Chinese ceramics, head to Room 95 of the Museum – housing the Sir Percival David Collection: https://ow.ly/Wgjo50PSPAN
Once so poor he had to beg for land to bury his parents, by the age of 40 the Hongwu Emperor ruled China as the founder of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). He was born #OnThisDay in 1328. Born Zhu Yuanzhang, the future emperor was orphaned at 16 and became a monk to avoid starvation. Rather than following a monastic life, he joined a rebel force and rose through the ranks to become a military leader ⚔ The previous rulers, the Mongols, had generally been ineffective towards the end of their Yuan dynasty (1279–1368). Peasant unrest was compounded by droughts and famines, and there were many rebellions against the alien ruling power. Zhu Yuanzhang emerged victorious among the various warring factions, declared himself emperor of the new Ming (literally ‘brilliant’) dynasty, and took the regnal name Hongwu, which means ‘vast military accomplishment’ 👑 The Ming became one of the more stable and longer-lasting dynasties of Chinese history, famed for its exquisite blue-and-white porcelain. During the Ming dynasty technology and artistry flourished, creating works of such delicacy and intricacy that they are still treasured today 🏺 📽Join Curator Jessica Harrison-Hall as she explores how the Ming dynasty was able to reach new heights of porcelain perfection https://ow.ly/bOUy50PSQhv 🏛 To feast your eyes on more beautiful Chinese ceramics, head to Room 95 of the Museum – housing the Sir Percival David Collection: https://ow.ly/Wgjo50PSPAN
Once so poor he had to beg for land to bury his parents, by the age of 40 the Hongwu Emperor ruled China as the founder of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). He was born #OnThisDay in 1328. Born Zhu Yuanzhang, the future emperor was orphaned at 16 and became a monk to avoid starvation. Rather than following a monastic life, he joined a rebel force and rose through the ranks to become a military leader ⚔ The previous rulers, the Mongols, had generally been ineffective towards the end of their Yuan dynasty (1279–1368). Peasant unrest was compounded by droughts and famines, and there were many rebellions against the alien ruling power. Zhu Yuanzhang emerged victorious among the various warring factions, declared himself emperor of the new Ming (literally ‘brilliant’) dynasty, and took the regnal name Hongwu, which means ‘vast military accomplishment’ 👑 The Ming became one of the more stable and longer-lasting dynasties of Chinese history, famed for its exquisite blue-and-white porcelain. During the Ming dynasty technology and artistry flourished, creating works of such delicacy and intricacy that they are still treasured today 🏺 📽Join Curator Jessica Harrison-Hall as she explores how the Ming dynasty was able to reach new heights of porcelain perfection https://ow.ly/bOUy50PSQhv 🏛 To feast your eyes on more beautiful Chinese ceramics, head to Room 95 of the Museum – housing the Sir Percival David Collection: https://ow.ly/Wgjo50PSPAN
“Few men are born brave; many become so from care and force of discipline.” – Vegetius Our newly announced #LegionExhibition will explore life in the Roman army through the eyes of the soldiers that lived it: https://ow.ly/bJiW50PXw6M The Roman empire spanned more than a million square miles and owed its existence to its military might. By promising citizenship to those without it, the Roman army also became an engine for creating citizens, offering a better life for soldiers who survived their service. What did life in the Roman army look like from a soldier’s perspective? What did their families make of life in the fort? How did the newly-conquered react? The exhibition will take visitors on a journey across the empire, as well as through the life and service of an ordinary Roman soldier, from enlistment and campaigns to fort life and enforcing occupation, then finally retirement. 🎫 Don’t miss out on our #LegionExhibition early bird offer – secure your discounted tickets now and save at least 20%. Book your tickets here: https://ow.ly/bJiW50PXw6M ‘Legion: life in the Roman army’ opens 1 February 2024 🔎 Bronze cavalry helmet, England, 1st century AD.
🍻 Prost! 🍻 We’re toasting the 213th anniversary of the first #Oktoberfest with this amber tankard – imagine sipping your drink from this masterpiece! ✨ Dating to the mid-17th century, the tankard was probably made in Königsberg (modern-day Kaliningrad, Russia) and may originally have belonged to Queen Christina of Sweden. Each side of the tankard has been carved with a figure representing one of the ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ – Pride, Gluttony, Lechery, Anger, Envy, Avarice and Sloth. 🏛 Marvel at this tankard alongside other treasures from Renaissance Europe in Room 2a of the Museum, The Waddesdon Bequest: https://ow.ly/MFUO50PRbk1 🔎 Amber, enamel, ivory and silver lidded tankard decorated with seven ‘vices’. Probably made in Königsberg, around 1640–1660. Read more: https://ow.ly/mNGZ50PRbhR
There’s just one week left to see our ‘intriguing’ and ‘absolutely beautiful’ exhibition about #ChinasHiddenCentury – but if you haven’t visited yet it’s not too late! ⏰ Tickets have now sold out, but you can become a Member today for free unlimited entry to all our exhibitions, including our show about the resilience and innovation of 19th-century China. Enjoy 12 months of extraordinary exhibitions, special events, discounts and exclusive content exploring two million years of human history 🏛 🔗 Join today via the link in our bio. #BritishMuseum
Watch the birds fly and the mountains soar in this masterful painting made in 1623 by artist Xiang Shengmo 🕊🏔 This Chinese painted scroll – ‘Reading in the Autumn Forest’ – transports us to the forest near Mount Baiyue (now Mount Qiyun) in Anhui province in the east of China 🌳 See if you can spot traditional motifs, including the scholar in his hut, a boy riding on an ox, and the wood collector in the mountains, all exquisitely painted. This is an early work by Xiang, painted a few years after he decided to leave the capital Beijing to return home to Jiaxing, Zhejiang province. In his inscription above the painting, Xiang describes the pleasure of having a quiet space of his own, away from the bustle of city life. Today is the equinox, marking the first day of Autumn 🍂 🔎 Xiang Shengmo (1597–1658), ‘Reading in the Autumn Forest’. Hanging scroll, 1623. Read more: https://ow.ly/Iept50PIczw
🏛 Ritual, war, trade and art – Room 33 of the Museum explores the rich cultures of China and South Asia through a range of magnificent objects. One half of the gallery presents over 7,000 years of China's history through stunning paintings, jades, bronzes and ceramics. The other examines South Asia's many histories chronologically and by region, from early human occupation to the present. Highlights include seals from the Indus civilisation, superb south Indian sculptures of Shiva and one of the finest statues of the goddess Tara from Sri Lanka. 🎧 Dive even further into the Museum using our Audio App, where you'll find expert commentaries on highlight object, gallery introductions and self-guided tours. 📲 Download the app: https://ow.ly/qsLw50PHtpO 🏛 Learn more about Room 33 and plan your visit here: https://ow.ly/tMF750PHnvZ 📽 Inside Room 33, the Sir Joseph Hotung gallery of China and South Asia.
🏛 Journey through three millennia of ancient history in the Egyptian sculpture gallery… Come face-to-face with the colossal statue of Ramesses II, decode hieroglyphs on the Rosetta Stone, and puzzle over the fate of Egypt’s last true Pharoh at the sarcophagus of Nectanebo II. 🎧 Delve even deeper with the British Museum Audio App, with expert commentary on objects in the collection. Discover everything from ancient Egypt to Medieval Europe, or even explore the Museum from the comfort of your sofa! 📲 Download the app: https://ow.ly/ZAvr50PyuY0 🏛 Learn more about Room 4, the Egyptian sculpture gallery, and plan your next visit here: https://ow.ly/AQX750PytP6 📽 Inside Room 4, the Egyptian sculpture gallery.
British Museum - Room 18: Greece: Parthenon
Great Russell Streeet
London Museum of Water & Steam
Green Dragon Lane
The Royal Air Force Museum London
Grahame Park Way
The Royal Air Force Museum - RAFM, RAF Museum
Grahame Park Way
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