A History of the World

A digital museum telling a history of the world through objects

Pieces of eight Today's object: Pieces of eight British Museum The most common silver coin of late sixteenth and seventeenth century Spain became the world's first global currency...

Weekly theme Weekly theme: The first global economy This week, we look at the long process that led to the world becoming truly globalised, as Europe begins to build its maritime trade empires in the sixteenth century AD.

Listening to podcast Download A History of the World in 100 Objects Collect the whole series. Save individual episodes to your computer or sign up to the podcast and download them all at once for free. See all 100 objects | Download every episode

Across the UK

  1. Hundreds of museums and organisations have added objects to the site.

    See objects from UK museums

  1. Featured Museum

    National Museums Scotland

    Bionic Hand Bonnie Prince Charlie's Silver Canteen

  2. Map of AHOTW museums
    Lesson and activities for schools

A History of the World on Facebook

  1. Become a fan

Antiques Roadshow

  1. Antiques Roadshow

    Find the objects uploaded at our stalls at Antiques Roadshow events

    Beverley

    Blair Castle

    British Museum

    Chatsworth House

    Hatfield

    Hutton

    St Fagan's

    Tatton

History across the BBC

  1. History on Radio 4

    BBC Radio 4

    In Our Time, Making History, Archive Hour, Great Lives

  2. BBC History

    BBC History

    Ancient history, Archaeology, British history timeline

  3. Hands on History

    Hands On History

    activities across the UK

History across the web

  1. Culture24

    Culture 24

  2. People's collection Wales

    People's Collection Wales

A History of the World

This site uses objects to tell a history of the world. You’ll find 100 objects from the British Museum and hundreds more from museums and people across the UK.

Objects from 2 million years ago to the present day.

START YOUR JOURNEY NOW
View the objects in a list

Highlights from the collection

Object selection

  1. Local Museum Margaret Thatcher's blue suit

    Margaret Thatcher's blue suit

  2. Local Museum Glass Goblets

    Glass Goblets

  3. Local Museum Coventry Strasse airfield sign

    Coventry Strasse airfield sign

Topics - find objects on a theme

  1. Ancient Rome

    Ancient Rome

  2. Food

    Food

  3. Sport

    Sport

See all Topics (20)

What's my object?

  1. BBC One

    Richard Curtis chose a charity single, Simon Mayo a bar of soap and Edith Bowman picks a cap.

    Watch a video

BBC iD

Sign in

bbc.co.uk navigation

BBC © 2012

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.