Egypt
Land of the Pharaohs
Tombs, amulets and the journey to the afterlife.
See Egyptian objects in the collection →Open Tuesday to Sunday
Step into 5,000 years of history
Come face to face with golden masks, bronze helmets and clay tablets from the earliest cities. Explore Egypt, Greece, Rome, Mesopotamia, India, Scotland and the UAE under one roof.
- 12,000+ artefacts
- 7 galleries
- 1924 year we opened
- Today: 10:00 – 17:30
- Under 5s go free
- Step-free access throughout
Our galleries
Seven galleries, one journey
Each gallery tells the story of a people through the objects they made, used and left behind.
Greece
City-States & Heroes
Painted pottery, warriors and the first Olympics.
See Greek objects in the collection →
Rome
Empire of Rome
Coins, mosaics and everyday life in the empire.
See Roman objects in the collection →
Mesopotamia
Cradle of Cities
Where writing, law and the first cities began.
See Mesopotamian objects in the collection →
India
Cities of the Indus
Planned cities, carved seals and a script still unread.
See Indian objects in the collection →
Scotland
Stones of the North
Neolithic villages, standing stones and Pictish symbols.
See Scottish objects in the collection →
UAE
Crossroads of Arabia
Bronze Age tombs, desert oases and trade by land and sea.
See Emirati objects in the collection →Artefact of the day ·
Artefact of the day
See it in the collectionA new object is chosen every day. Come back tomorrow!
Special exhibition · until 31 January 2027
Bronze & Glory: Warriors of the Ancient World
From Spartan hoplites to Roman legionaries, discover how ancient armies were equipped, trained and remembered. The exhibition includes a hands-on armour station for families.
Book the exhibitionTest yourself
How well do you know the ancient world?
Take our 10-question quiz before or after your visit and see how you score.
Start the quiz