British Museum

This small exhibition will explain Zoroastrianism, an ancient but living religion named after the Prophet Zarathustra, through objects and coins from Persia (Iran) and beyond.

The display will feature a variety of ancient and modern objects and coins, and will highlight the importance of Zoroastrian traditions in other religions. It will touch on the concept and imagery of the Three Kings of the Christian tradition, who are described in the New Testament (Matthew 2.2) as Magi from the east – Zoroastrian priests in the Persian tradition. Magnificent Islamic coins from Mughal India which follow the Iranian Zoroastrian calendar adopted by the emperor Akbar (1556–1605) will also be on display.

Modern objects will show the ongoing legacy of this ancient Iranian religion and its significance as a symbol of national identity for Zoroastrian and non-Zoroastrian Iranians in modern Persia and beyond.

Website

http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/wise_men_from_the_east.aspx

This exhibition will feature over 90 works on paper by some of the leading names in modern German art, drawn from the private collection of Count Christian Duerckheim. It will explore six key artists – Georg Baselitz, Gerhard Richter, A.R. Penck, Markus Lüpertz, Blinky Palermo and Sigmar Polke – all of whom migrated from East to West and redefined art in Germany in the 1960s and 70s and negotiated with the past on both sides of the Wall.

Half of the works on display are by Georg Baselitz (b. 1938), and 34 of the works in the exhibition, including 17 by Baselitz, have been generously donated to the British Museum by Count Duerckheim.

Suitable for

• Any age

Website

http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on.aspx

Museum displays are normally organised by the curators who research and look after the collection.

However, no installation can be completed without a team of staff involving conservators, designers and curatorial assistants, the latter of whom are responsible for moving and installing the objects.

This display features a selection of works from the Islamic collections at the British Museum, hand-picked by the Middle East department’s curatorial assistant team and highlighting the theme of animals in Islamic art.

Suitable for

• Any age

The Crosby Garrett Roman helmet was found on the fells of Crosby Garrett in Cumbria in 2010 and sold at auction in 2011.

Now, thanks to the generosity of the owner, it is on display in Room 37 at the British Museum, having been displayed at Tullie House Museum, Carlisle from 1 November 2013 – 26 January 2014.

The helmet was not used in normal combat but is a splendid example of the spectacular bronze face-mask visor-helmets used in special events known as cavalry sports. It is exhibited alongside the Ribchester Helmet, the most famous cavalry sports helmet, which was found on the site of the Roman fort at Ribchester, Lancashire, in 1796.

Suitable for

• Any age
• Family friendly

Two important and unique sets of progressive proofs, along with the finished works, that document the evolution of two linocuts by Pablo Picasso.

The two prints, Still Life under the Lamp and Jacqueline Reading, were both made in 1962, when the artist was over 80. They are counted among Picasso’s most important works in linocut, a technique that he explored in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The progressive proofs trace the step-by-step sequence by which Picasso created his linocut images, showing the development of the image into its final form.

Suitable for

• Any age
• Family friendly

Swords and axes, coins and jewellery, hoards, amulets and religious images show how Vikings created an international network connecting cultures over four continents.

At the centre of the exhibition will be the surviving timbers of a 37-metre-long Viking warship, the longest ever found.

Admission

Please book and check prices.

Website

http://www.britishmuseumshoponline.org/exhibition-tickets/vikings-life-and-legend/invt/mexviking

This exhibition will introduce you to eight people from ancient Egypt and Sudan whose bodies have been preserved, either naturally or by deliberate embalming. Using the latest technology, the exhibition will unlock hidden secrets to build up a picture of their lives in the Nile Valley over a remarkable 4,000 years – from prehistoric Egypt to Christian Sudan.

Suitable for

• Any age
• Family friendly

Admission

£10 (free for under-16s)

This major exhibition will explore a golden age in China's history. Between AD 1400 and 1450, China was a global superpower run by one family – the Ming dynasty – who established Beijing as the capital and built the Forbidden City. During this period, Ming China was thoroughly connected with the outside world. Chinese artists absorbed many fascinating influences, and created some of the most beautiful objects and paintings ever made.

Suitable for

• Any age
• Family friendly

Admission

£16.50/£13.00.

A free demonstration of the Japanese tea ceremony in the Mitsubishi Corporation Japanese Galleries, given by members of the Urasenke Foundation London Branch.

The demonstration will be accompanied by a brief explanation (in English) of the history of tea drinking and gathering in Japan. 2pm-3pm and 3pm-4pm

Suitable for

• Any age

Become an ancient Greek Olympian using a green screen. Edit your portrait in Photoshop to print and take home. Age: 7+. 11.30am-3.30pm

Suitable for

• 7-10
• 14-15
• 11-13

Admission

Limited spaces

A gallery talk by George Hart, independent speaker

Suitable for

• Any age

Join screenwriter and internationally acclaimed children’s novelist Damian Dibben (author of the popular History Keepers series) to write your own stories inspired by mysterious objects from the Museum’s collection.

Sessions last 120 mins.

Age: 9+. 11am-1pm and 2pm-4pm

Suitable for

• 11-13
• 7-10
• 14-15

Admission

Booking essential, telephone 020 7323 8181

A gallery talk by Rosie Weetch, British Museum

Suitable for

• Any age

A gallery talk by Jan Stuart, British Museum

Suitable for

• Any age

A gallery talk by Ben Alsop, British Museum

Suitable for

• Any age

A gallery talk by Roberta Marin, independent speaker

Suitable for

• Any age

This panel discussion, chaired by historian and writer Michael Wood, will consider these regional histories and how they have shaped the cultural memory of the Vikings across Britain and Ireland.

From raiding to full-scale invasion, the development of urban trade to involvement in destructive power struggles, the experience of the Viking Age in Britain and Ireland was varied across regions.

Panellists include Stephen Harrison, Trinity College Dublin, James Moncrieff, Shetland Amenity Trust, and Marc Scully, University of Leicester

Suitable for

• Any age

Admission

£5/£3, book online at http://www.britishmuseumshoponline.org/invt/mevbriire#book-now

This major exhibition will explore a golden age in China’s history.

Between AD 1400 and 1450, China was a global superpower run by one family – the Ming dynasty – who established Beijing as the capital and built the Forbidden City. During this period, Ming China was thoroughly connected with the outside world. Chinese artists absorbed many fascinating influences, and created some of the most beautiful objects and paintings ever made.

The exhibition will feature a range of these spectacular objects – including exquisite porcelain, gold, jewellery, furniture, paintings, sculptures and textiles – from museums across China and the rest of the world. Many of them have only been very recently discovered and have never been seen outside China.

Suitable for

• Any age

Admission

Adults £16.50, Members free

Website

http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/ming.aspx