Collection and research departments
Department of Africa, Oceania and the Americas
The collections of
the Department of Africa, Oceania and the Americas comprise around
350,000 objects, representing the cultures of indigenous peoples
throughout the world.
Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan
The
Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan houses an important
collection of objects which illustrate every aspect of the cultures
of the Nile Valley, from the Neolithic period (around 10,000 BC)
right up to the twelfth century AD.
Department of Asia
The scope of the Department of Asia is extremely broad:
its collections cover the material culture of the whole Asian
continent (from East Asia, South and Central Asia to South-East
Asia) and from the Neolithic up to the present day.
Department of Coins and Medals
The Department of
Coins and Medals is home to one of the world's finest numismatic
collections, comprising about one million objects. The collection
spans the history of coinage from its origins in the seventh
century BC to the present day, and related material such as coin
weights, tokens and money-boxes.
Department of Conservation and Scientific Research
The
Department of Conservation and Scientific Research works
alongside other departments in the Museum to preserve and
investigate the collection for the benefit of present and
future generations.
Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities
The Department of
Greek and Roman Antiquities of the British Museum has one of the
most comprehensive collections of antiquities from the Classical
world, with over 100,000 objects. These mostly range in date from
the beginning of the Greek Bronze Age (about 3200 BC) to the reign
of the Roman emperor Constantine in the fourth century AD.
Department of the Middle East
The
Department of the Middle East covers the ancient and contemporary
civilisations and cultures of the Middle East from the
Neolithic period until the present.
Department of Portable Antiquities and Treasure
The
Department of Portable Antiquities and Treasure co-ordinates the
Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS), a voluntary initiative to record
archaeological objects found by members of the public in England
and Wales. It is also responsible for administering the
Treasure Act 1996 on behalf of the UK Government.
Department of Prehistory and Europe
The Department
of Prehistory and Europe is responsible for collections that cover
a vast expanse of time from the earliest human tools in Africa and
Asia two million years ago to the art and archaeology of
Europe from the earliest times to the present day.
Department of Prints and Drawings
The Department of
Prints and Drawings contains the national collection of Western
prints and drawings. There are approximately 50,000 drawings and
over two million prints dating from the early fifteenth
century to the present day.