British Museum

To celebrate the exhibition Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum and the display of the Mildenhall treasure in Room 3, this afternoon event will focus on dining in ancient Rome. Young Friends will have the chance to explore the importance of food and drink in ancient Rome through these exhibitions and other re-enactments.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

When

2-7pm

Admission

Young Friends £12, guests £15, adults free

This displa will evoke a dining room as it might have appeared in a 4th century AD villa in Roman Britain. The centrepiece will be the magnigicent Great Dish from the Mildenhall Treasure

Admission

Free

Discover masterpieces from the last Ice Age and find out what they reveal about human brains and the creative impulse. An exhibition 40,000 years in the making!

Suitable for

• Any age

Where

Room 35

Admission

£10. Members/Under 16s free.

This exhibition will showcase the diverse prints and drawings acquired by the Museum over the past 5 years, from Guiseppe Arcimbaldo (1527-1593) to controversial American printmaker R B Kitaj (1932-2007).

Admission

Free

Examples of Asian propaganda from 1900-1976.

Admission

Free

A selection of works by Persian calligrapher Mishkin Qalam, any of them invocations or prayers related to the Baha'I faith, recentl acquired by the British Museum

Suitable for

Admission

Free, but donations welcome

The museum has recently acquired over 300 works by artist R B Kitaj (1932-2007). A selection of these are on display from 30 May in Room 90. Colin Wiggins, National Gallery, and curator of Kitaj's last great exhibiton in London in 2001, discusses the artist's use of multi-layered references to literature, the history of art and 20th century history. The lecture includes clips from an interview which Colin filmed with Kitaj in 2001.

When

6:30-8pm

Admission

£5, members/concessions £3

Website

http://www.list.co.uk/event/20431628-kitaj-as-i-knew-him-lecture/

From the bustling street to the intimate spaces of a Roman home, this major exhibition will take you to the heart of people's lives in Pompeii and Herculaneum, two ill-fated Roman cities that were buried by a catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79.

Suitable for

• Any age

Where

Reading Room

Admission

£15. Members/Under 16s free.

A display looking at some of the different coins featured in the Bible and how the Bible has been portrayed in coins

Admission

Free

Become an ancient Greek Olympian using a green screen and edit your portrait in Photoshop to print and take home. Activity takes 30-40 minutes.

Suitable for

• Especially for children
• Family friendly

When

11:30am-3:30pm

Admission

Free, limited places.

Roman wall-painting, as revealed by the remians of Pompeii and Herculaneum, represents a remarkable pheomenon in the history of western art. Most of it comes from domestic interiors - it was carried out in the fresco techinique and appeared in almost every room of the house. In this lecture, Roger Ling, University of Manchester, traces the devlopment of Pomeian wall-paintings, both deluxe and downmarket and draws conclusions on their social and cultural context.

When

1:15-2:15pm

Admission

FRee

Archaeologist and social anthropologist Estelle Lazer has worked extensively excavating and interpreting the human remains at Pompeii and Herculaneum. She explores what these bones tell us about life and death in this region in AD79 across the social spectrum.

When

6:30-7:30pm

Admission

£5, Members/Concessions £3

Exhibition curator Paul Roberts gives 45 minute illustrated introduction to the exhibition.

When

1:15-2:15pm

Admission

FRee

Use a digital camera to explore the Museum's objects, and follow exciting photography trails through the galleries. Then turn your photos into a comic strip to take home.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

When

11:30am-3:30pm

Admission

Free, just drop in.

Following an introduction to tools and materials, work on a relief inspired by the museum's collection with tutor Marcia Bennett-Male. Wear old clothes and sturdy footwesar and bring a strong bag with wheels to take away your piece.

When

10am-5pm

Admission

£45

Learn the secrets of manga comic artists, then create your own manga-inspired comic with characters from the Museum to print and take home. Session lasts 120 minutes.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

When

2-4pm

Admission

Free, booking advised.

Learn the secrets of manga comic artists, then create your own manga-inspired comic with characters from the Museum to print and take home. Session lasts 120 minutes.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

When

11am-1pm

Admission

Free, booking advised.

In a sometimes funny and sometimes moving talk illustrated by frescoes, mosaics and her recent trip to the Bay of Naples, best-selling children's author Caroline Lawrence tells what life was like for animals in Pompeii and Herculaneum

Suitable for

• Family friendly

When

1-2pm

Admission

Free of charge, booking essential.

Website

http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/events_calendar/event_detail.aspx?eventId=327

Come to the museum for a week of family activities inspired by Pompeii and Herculaneum. Help make a mosaic pavement in the Great Court, find out how the fashionable Pompeian lady had her hair done, and learn about food for rich and poor. Try doing a bit of ancient graffiti and hear about Pliny the Younger talk about what he was doing the day Vesuvius erupted.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

Admission

Free, just drop in.

Roman Mysteries author Caroline Lawrence explores what life was like for a Roman child in a talk animated with illustrations and lively audience debate.

Suitable for

• 7-10
• 11-13
• 16-17
• 14-15
• 18+

When

1-2pm

Admission

Free, booking essential.

Andrew Wallace-Hadrill discusses the amazing new discoveries resulting from his experience of working with the Herculaneum Conservation Project, considering how they illuminate our understanding of life in this once vibrant town.

When

6:30-7:30pm

Admission

£5, Members/Concessions £3

Come and listen to a series of dramatic readings charting the story of daily life for the people living in the Bay of Naples in AD79. Accompanied by illustrative images from the exhibition, the readings are taken from contemporary sources, bringing us closer to the reality of life in Pompeii and Herculaneum. Listening to those lost voices makes a dramatic climax of Pliny's account of Vesuvius' eruption all the more resonant.

When

2-3pm

Admission

Free, booking essential

Use Photoshop to design your own mosaic masks inspired by the fearsome Aztec gods. print your finished mask to take home and wear. Activity takes about 30 minutes.

Suitable for

• Family friendly
• Especially for children

When

11:30am-3:30pm

Admission

Free, just drop in.

Piotr Bienkowski, University of Manchester, discusses the latest results from his ongoing excavations on the famous mountain of Umm el-Biyarah in Petra, long known to be an Edomite centre, but now revealing palatial remains, from the Nabataean period.

When

4-6pm

Admission

Free, just drop in, limited seating.

On the eve of the Iranian Presidential elections, this event focuses on the significance of power of Iran's cultural heritage and how heritage reflects a nation's identities in a variety of ways. In Iran, this became apparen during the "Green revolution" protests following the 2009 election. Four years on, this panel discussion will consider the country's unique cultural tradition, contemporary artistic concerns in Iran and wider events in the middle east since 2009.

When

6:30-7:30pm

Admission

£5, Members/Concessions £3

During the past 100,000 years, Neanderthals and modern humans survived an abrupt series of changes in climate and the occaisional massive volcanic eruption in Europe. Did adverse conditions eventually lead to Neanderthal extinction and how did modern humans survive? Come and meet the scientists engaged in piecing together our fascinating history.

When

9:30am-4:45pm

Admission

£25

Use stop-motion software and digital video cameras to create animations based on myths from Ancient Greece. Sessions last 120 minutes.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

When

11am-1pm

Admission

Free, booking advised.

Use stop-motion software and digital video cameras to create animations based on myths from Ancient Greece. Sessions last 120 minutes.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

When

2-4pm

Admission

Free, booking advised.

Few would doubt Latin's importance in the past, but what of its future? Join the debate as a panel of speakers examines Latin's place in the classroom and broader culture, opening up big questions about learning and what we value as a society. The discussion will be chaired by Mary Beard, University of Cambridge, and will feature Spectator Columnist Peter V Jones, author Natalie Haynes, journalist David Aaronovitch and Emeritus Professor of Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, Dylan William.

Suitable for

• Not suitable for children

When

6:30-8pm

Admission

£5, Members/concessions £3

Website

http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/events_calendar/event_detail.aspx?eventid=225&title=does

Led by panel chairs Lothar Ledderose, Wu Hung, Jenny So, Mei Jianjun, Craig Clunas, Shelagh Vainker, Jane Portal and Chris Gosden, leading scholars discuss significant issues in the field of Chinese art and archaeology. This conference celebrates Professor Dame Jessica Rawson.

Admission

£35, students £25, includes coffee/tea breaks, lunches and a reception.

Turn yourself into a Samurai warrior, an Ancient Greek or other characters using Photoshop. Dress yourself in weird and wonderful outfits from different cultures and times

When

11:30am-3:30pm

Admission

Free, limited places.

This is an exclusive event for Young Friends. This special Pompeii sleepover features four exciting Roman themed activities. On the Sunday morning, you can explore the exhibition before the Museum opens to the public.

Suitable for

• Family friendly
• Especially for children

When

6:15pm-9am

Admission

Children/adults £35

Following a talk introducing the styles and types of fresco painting in Pompeii and Herculaneum, Ray Andrews leads this practical workshop. Try painting in the style of Roman fresco painters and learn about the fascinating range of colours they used. Materials supplied, wear durable work clothes.

When

11am-4pm

Admission

£35, Members and concessions £30

Led by panel chairs Lothar Ledderose, Wu Hung, Jenny So, Mei Jianjun, Craig Clunas, Shelagh Vainker, Jane Portal and Chris Gosden, leading scholars discuss significant issues in the field of Chinese art and archaeology. This conference celebrates Professor Dame Jessica Rawson.

Admission

£35, students £25, includes coffee/tea breaks, lunches and a reception.

Wander through the permanent collection, hear from museum curators as they take you on intimate gallery tours, create your own Roman frieze in a craft activity, listen to performances by storyteller Jamie Crawford, and drop in on a Roman dining enactment by Griffin Historical. You can also enjoy a meal in the restaurant, take advantage of special offers in the shops and relax with a glass of wine under the celebrated Great Court Roof.

When

6:15-9pm

Admission

Free for members, no booking required-present your membership card for entry.

Dinner for the Romans was the central function of social life, and a formal dinner party was governed by numerous rules and conventions, some of them still fmailiar but many are alien to modern ways. Katherine Dunbabin discusses Roman dining practices as shown in the art and archaeology and what these tell us about Roman attitudes to dining and the ideology that goverened behaviour at the dining table.

When

1:15-2:15pm

Admission

Free

Roger Matthews, University of Reading, presents the latest results from ongoing field work, surveys and scientific analyses at Neolithic sites in the Central Zargos region covering Western Iran and Eastern Iraq. The talk will highlight the value of collaborative, multi-disciplinary approaches in interpreting the transition from hunter-forager to farmer-herder.

When

6-8pm

Admission

Free, limited places.

Become an ancient Greek Olympian using a green screen and edit your portrait in Photoshop to print and take home. Activity takes 30-40 minutes.

Suitable for

• Especially for children
• Family friendly

When

11:30am-3:30pm

Admission

Free, limited places.

Learn the secrets of manga comic artists, then create your own manga-inspired comic with characters from the Museum to print and take home. Session lasts 120 minutes.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

When

11am-1pm

Admission

Free, booking advised.

Learn the secrets of manga comic artists, then create your own manga-inspired comic with characters from the Museum to print and take home. Session lasts 120 minutes.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

When

2-4pm

Admission

Free, booking advised.

This colloquium will cover all aspects of new research and conservation at Pompeii and Herculaneum, and the future of the sites. Includes morning and afternoon refreshments.

When

9:30am-5:30pm

Admission

£60, Members/concessions £45

Richard Parkinson, British Museum, discusses a recently published project o the history of same-sex desire. The talk will explore issues raised by objects in the collection, from ancient Egyptian papyri to modern gay love scenes filmed in the Museum, to ask a question that concerns us all: how easily can we recognise love in history? In collaboration with Write Queer London.

When

6:30-7:30pm

Admission

£5, Members/concessions £3

This colloquium will cover all aspects of new research and conservation at Pompeii and Herculaneum, and the future of the sites. Includes morning and afternoon refreshments.

When

9:30am-5:30pm

Admission

£60, Members/concessions £45

Singer and composer Merit Ariane Stephanos and fashion designer Omaris Ioseph Filivs Dinae share insights into their interpretations of traditional artistic techniques in their work. Merit reflects on her research inot the musical heritage of Syriac and Byzantine traditions in Lebanon and Omar Ioseph explores dressmaking techniques from Palestine and how these traditons have influenced their own practice.

When

2:15-3:45pm

Admission

£5, Members/Concessions £3

Use a digital camera to explore the Museum's objects, and follow exciting photography trails through the galleries. Then turn your photos into a comic strip to take home.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

When

11:30am-3:30pm

Admission

Free, just drop in.

Hedi Jouini has been described as the Arab world's Frank Sinatra and remains one of Tunisia's best loved musicians. Claire Belhassine was in her 20s and living in London when she discovered that Hedi was her grandfather. This film charts Claire's journey as she unravels the story of her grandfather's legacy within Tunisian popular culture and the divise effects his success had on his family. Followed by Q&A.

When

11am-12:30pm

Admission

Free, booking essential

Learn about the ancient tradition of shadow-puppetry in Java and then decorate your own beautiful puppets. Use voice recording software and video cameras to then bring your characters to life through film. Sessions last 120 minutes.

Suitable for

• 7-10
• 11-13
• 14-15
• 18+
• 16-17

When

2-4pm

Admission

free, booking advised.

Learn about the ancient tradition of shadow-puppetry in Java and then decorate your own beautiful puppets. Use voice recording software and video cameras to then bring your characters to life through film. Sessions last 120 minutes.

Suitable for

• 7-10
• 11-13
• 14-15
• 18+
• 16-17

When

11am-1pm

Admission

free, booking advised.