Founded in 1753, the British Museum’s remarkable collection spans over two million years of human history. Visitors enjoy a unique comparison of the treasures of world cultures under one roof, centred around the magnificent Great Court and the historic Reading Room. World-famous objects such as the Rosetta Stone, Parthenon sculptures, and Egyptian mummies are visited by up to 6 million visitors per year. In addition to the vast permanent collection, the Museum’s special exhibitions, displays and events are all designed to advance understanding of the collection and cultures they represent.
This year’s major exhibition is Life and death in Pompeii and Herculaneum (until 29 September 2013). This ground-breaking exhibition revels how in just 24 hours, two cities in the Bay of Naples, southern Italy, were buried by a catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Preserved under ash, their rediscovery nearly 1,700 years later provided an unparalleled glimpse into the daily life of the Roman Empire. Starting with the bustling street, and moving through the intimate spaces of a home, you will be transported into the lives of ordinary Romans nearly 2,000 years ago, before devastation struck.
