A History of the World in 100 Objects Podcast
Director of the British Museum, Neil MacGregor, narrates 100 programmes that retell humanity's history through the objects we have made.
Episodes to download
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Object 101
Christmas Day 2020
Neil MacGregor updates his famous radio series with an object chosen to represent 2020.
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Solar-powered lamp and charger—The World of Our Making (1914 - 2010 AD)
Fri 22 Oct 2010
5/5 Neil MacGregor's last object in his world history - a solar-powered lamp and charger.
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Credit card—The World of Our Making (1914 - 2010 AD)
Thu 21 Oct 2010
4/5 Neil MacGregor with a credit card - one that is compliant with Sharia law.
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Throne of Weapons—The World of Our Making (1914 - 2010 AD)
Wed 20 Oct 2010
3/5 Neil MacGregor with an African throne - made from decommissioned guns.
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Hockney's In the Dull Village—The World of Our Making (1914 - 2010 AD)
Tue 19 Oct 2010
2/5 Neil MacGregor considers the state of human rights - with a David Hockney print.
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Russian revolutionary plate—The World of Our Making (1914 - 2010 AD)
Mon 18 Oct 2010
1/5 Neil MacGregor nears the end of his world history - with a Russian revolutionary plate.
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Suffragette-defaced penny—Mass Production, Mass Persuasion (1780 - 1914 AD)
Fri 15 Oct 2010
5/5 Neil MacGregor with a penny coin defaced by suffragettes with the words "Votes for women".
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Sudanese slit drum—Mass Production, Mass Persuasion (1780 - 1914 AD)
Thu 14 Oct 2010
4/5 Neil MacGregor with a wooden drum from Sudan that Kitchener presented to Queen Victoria.
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Hokusai's The Great Wave—Mass Production, Mass Persuasion (1780 - 1914 AD)
Wed 13 Oct 2010
3/5 Neil MacGregor with a familiar image - Hokusai's The Great Wave.
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Early Victorian tea set—Mass Production, Mass Persuasion (1780 - 1914 AD)
Tue 12 Oct 2010
2/5 Neil MacGregor tells the story of the global trade in tea - with a Victorian tea set.
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Ship's chronometer from HMS Beagle—Mass Production, Mass Persuasion (1780 - 1914 AD)
Mon 11 Oct 2010
1/5 Neil MacGregor with a chronometer that accompanied Darwin to South America.
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Jade bi—Exploration, Exploitation and Enlightenment (AD 1680-1820)
Fri 8 Oct 2010
5/5 Neil MacGregor with an object from the 18th-century Chinese Enlightenment - a jade disc
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Australian Bark Shield—Exploration, Exploitation and Enlightenment (AD 1680-1820)
Thu 7 Oct 2010
4/5 Neil MacGregor with a bark shield brought from Australia by Captain Cook
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North American Buckskin Map—Exploration, Exploitation and Enlightenment (AD 1680-1820)
Wed 6 Oct 2010
3/5 Neil MacGregor with a buckskin map from North America
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Hawaiian feather helmet—Exploration, Exploitation and Enlightenment (AD 1680-1820)
Tue 5 Oct 2010
2/5 Neil MacGregor with a feathered helmet given to Captain Cook by Pacific Islanders.
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Akan Drum—Exploration, Exploitation and Enlightenment (AD 1680-1820)
Mon 4 Oct 2010
1/5 Neil MacGregor with an African drum taken to America during the slave trade
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Reformation Centenary Broadsheet—Tolerance and Intolerance (AD 1550-1700)
Fri 1 Oct 2010
5/5 Neil MacGregor with a souvenir of the 100th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.
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Mexican Codex Map—Tolerance and Intolerance (AD 1550-1700)
Thu 30 Sep 2010
4/5 Neil MacGregor explores the Spanish religious conquest of Mexico with a map.
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Shadow Puppet of Bima—Tolerance and Intolerance (AD 1550-1700)
Wed 29 Sep 2010
3/5 Neil MacGregor explores religion and politics in South East Asia through a shadow puppet.
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Miniature of a Mughal Prince—Tolerance and Intolerance (AD 1550-1700)
Tue 28 Sep 2010
2/5 Neil MacGregor with a miniature painting from Mughal India.
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Shi'a Religious Parade Standard—Tolerance and Intolerance (AD 1550-1700)
Mon 27 Sep 2010
1/5 Neil Macgregor with a powerful symbol from Shia Iran.
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Pieces of eight—The First Global Economy (1450 - 1600 AD)
Fri 24 Sep 2010
5/5 Neil MacGregor with the first truly global money - silver pieces of eight.
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Kakiemon elephants—The First Global Economy (1450 - 1600 AD)
Thu 23 Sep 2010
4/5 Neil MacGregor with porcelain white elephants from Japan.
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Double-headed serpent—The First Global Economy (1450 - 1600 AD)
Wed 22 Sep 2010
3/5 Neil MacGregor with one of the stars of the British Museum - an Aztec serpent
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Benin plaque - the Oba with Europeans—The First Global Economy (1450 - 1600 AD)
Tue 21 Sep 2010
2/5 Neil MacGregor with some of the best examples of African art, the great plaques of Benin.
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The mechanical galleon—The First Global Economy (1450 - 1600 AD)
Mon 20 Sep 2010
1/5 Neil Macgregor with a clockwork galleon designed for a grand dinner table.
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Durer's Rhinoceros—The Threshold of the Modern World (1375-1550 AD)
Fri 17 Sep 2010
5/5 Neil MacGregor with Durer's extraordinary image of a rhino - an animal he had never seen.
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Jade dragon cup—The Threshold of the Modern World (1375-1550 AD)
Thu 16 Sep 2010
4/5 Neil MacGregor with a jade cup that belonged a great leader of the Timurid Empire.
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Inca gold llama—The Threshold of the Modern World (1375-1550 AD)
Wed 15 Sep 2010
3/5 Neil MacGregor with a model of a llama - the animal behind the Inca Empire.
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Ming banknote—The Threshold of the Modern World (1375-1550 AD)
Tue 14 Sep 2010
2/5 Neil MacGregor with a 14th century bank note - from Ming Dynasty China.
Shakespeare's Restless World
Neil MacGregor uncovers Shakespeare's world through twenty objects.
