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The Americas encapsulate the remarkable narratives of cultural achievement and human experience across two continents.

The British Museum cares for around 90,000 contemporary, historical and archaeological objects that reflect the spectacular diversity of culture spanning more than 12,000 years across a third of the world's landmass.

From a ceremonial mask of the indigenous peoples of the Northwest Coast of America to an ancient Maya hieroglyphic stairway recreated in Lancashire limestone, the objects within the collection have a rich and complex story to tell.

Explore the stories, blog posts and videos below and be inspired by the Americas.

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From ghostbusting in Ancient Mesopotamia with Irving Finkel to an unparalleled discovery of Anglo-Saxon finery within a buried ship at Sutton Hoo, discover the fascinating beliefs and rituals around death and remembrance through our collection.

Read the stories and watch the videos below or search Collection online to uncover the compelling histories of people and objects that came before us.

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Explore the fascinating history of Egypt.

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Explore the fascinating history of Egypt.

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Some of the British Museum's best-known collection items come from Egypt, each with their own unique story.

The Rosetta Stone is one of the most visited objects in the Museum and is equally popular online. Discover everything you ever wanted to know about the tablet that unlocked the secret of Egyptian hieroglyphs.

Plus, find out more about Egypt, ancient and modern, through video, blog and collection highlights below.

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Our African collection represents the rich and diverse history of a continent, from the beautiful bronze-casting of Igbo-Ukwu, Ife and Benin to objects that delve into the ritual of masquerade – traditional performances that express the secret knowledge of local communities.

Explore the stories of Africa at the Museum.

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The museum was created in 1753 and was finally opened to the public on 15 January 1759. The origins of the British Museum are linked to the fortunes of the physicist and collector Hans Sloane, who wanted, after his death, his collection consisting of more than 80,000 objects were properly preserved. Among the pieces in the collection there are 40,000 books and archaeological finds from Rome and other ancient civilizations (Greece, Egypt and the Middle East). The first home of the British Museum was Montagu House, a 16th century mansion which soon proved inappropriate to house the collection, due to its rapid growth due to museum purchases and private donations. In 1782 the collection grew considerably with pieces of Greek and Roman origin and in 1801 the museum also acquired a large quantity of Egyptian objects, including the Rosetta Stone (thanks to which Egyptian hieroglyphics could be interpreted). In 1823 King George IV donated his father's library to the museum and, consequently, the exhibition space began to be too small to accommodate his extensive collection. In 1852, construction of the new museum building in its current location was completed. In 1887, due to lack of space, the collection of natural objects moved to the Natural History Museum and in 1973 the British Library broke away from the museum.

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The more than seven million objects in the collection are sorted according to their place of origin. The museum is so large that to visit it calmly you need to dedicate more than one day but, in any case, even just a morning is enough to see the most important pieces. One of the most interesting areas is the Great Atrium located in the center of the museum, a huge space with a glass roof, where the reading room of the British Library is located. Walking through its rooms you come across any type of object, from Chinese porcelain, to prehistoric and medieval artefacts, to coins and medals from various eras. The areas of the museum that most attract visitors' attention are the section dedicated to Ancient Egypt (the largest in existence after that of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo) and that of Ancient Greece.

Exhibition route
The more than seven million objects in the collection are sorted according to their place of origin. The museum is so large that to visit it calmly you need to dedicate more than one day but, in any case, even just a morning is enough to see the most important pieces.

One of the most interesting areas is the Great Atrium located in the center of the museum, a huge space with a glass roof, where the reading room of the British Library is located.

Walking through its rooms you come across any type of object, from Chinese porcelain, to prehistoric and medieval artefacts, to coins and medals from various eras. The areas of the museum that most attract visitors' attention are the section dedicated to Ancient Egypt (the largest in existence after that of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo) and that of Ancient Greece.

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Every day: from 10:00 to 17:30. Friday until 8.30pm (some galleries). Closed: January 1st, Good Friday and December 24th to 26th

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Free entry.

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Great Russel Street