Mesopotamia is important because it witnessed crucial advancements in the development of human civilisation between 6000–1550 BC. The word 'mesopotamia' comes from the ancient words 'meso', which ...

KS2 History: the achievements of the earliest civilisations – ancient Egypt. The ancient Egyptians believed in many different gods and goddesses. Each one had their own role to play in maintaining ...

Andokides, whose signed vase is displayed in this room, was the leader of an innovative group of potters and painters working in Athens in the late sixth century BC. At this time, a number of new ...

Free, for UK schools only, booking online essential. The collection of Egyptian objects at the British Museum tells the story of life and death in the ancient Nile Valley. Find out about the Rosetta ...

The skilful transformation of ordinary clay into beautiful objects has captivated the imagination of people throughout history and across the globe. Porcelain was first produced in China around AD 600 ...

The Parthenon was built as a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena. It was the centrepiece of an ambitious building programme on the Acropolis of Athens. The temple's great size and lavish use of ...

Make the most of your evening at the British Museum, book an evening viewing of one of our special exhibitions, visit a free display or book an event.

See the small inscribed plate and more objects in the Greek and Roman life gallery. Visit Room 69 What can a small, inscribed plate tell us about slavery in ancient Rome? Slavery played a significant ...

An unconventional figure, Maria Sibylla Merian is best known for her publication of drawings documenting the natural world of Suriname, which were created with support from her daughters. The ...

Mummification, magic and ritual are investigated through the objects on display here. These include mummies, coffins, funerary masks, portraits and other items designed to be buried with the deceased.

The Parthenon Sculptures are a collection of different types of marble architectural decoration from the temple of Athena (the Parthenon) on the Acropolis in Athens. Made between 447BC and 432BC they ...

Nineveh was the capital of the powerful ancient Assyrian empire, located in modern-day northern Iraq. Sennacherib was the king of Assyria from 704–681 BC and was famous for his building projects. The ...