Collection and research departments

Collection and research departments

Department of Africa, Oceania and the Americas


Department of Africa, Oceania and the AmericasThe 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


Department of Ancient Egypt and SudanThe 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
 

Department of AsiaThe 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

Department of Coins and MedalsThe 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


Department of Conservation, Documentation and ScienceThe 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


Department of Greek and Roman AntiquitiesThe 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


Department of the Middle EastThe 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


Department of Portable Antiquities and TreasureThe 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


Department of Prehistory and EuropeThe 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

 

Department of Prints and DrawingsThe 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.