A History of the World in 100 Objects

BBC Radio 4

Director of the British Museum, Neil MacGregor, narrates 100 programmes that retell humanity's history through the objects we have made.

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20 episodes
Updated July 13

Episodes20

Newest first

July 13 · 35 min
From The World to America: Neil MacGregor meets Roman Mars
Roman Mars & Neil MacGregor on the new US spinoff: A History of the U.S. in 100 Objects.
Dec 25, 2020 · 37 min
Object 101
Neil MacGregor updates his famous radio series with an object chosen to represent 2020.
Oct 22, 2010 · 13 min
Solar-powered lamp and charger
Neil MacGregor's last object in his world history - a solar-powered lamp and charger.
Oct 21, 2010 · 13 min
Credit card
Neil MacGregor with a credit card - one that is compliant with Sharia law.
Oct 20, 2010 · 14 min
Throne of Weapons
Neil MacGregor with an African throne - made from decommissioned guns.
Oct 19, 2010 · 13 min
Hockney's In the Dull Village
Neil MacGregor considers the state of human rights - with a David Hockney print.
Oct 18, 2010 · 14 min
Russian revolutionary plate
Neil MacGregor nears the end of his world history - with a Russian revolutionary plate.
Oct 15, 2010 · 14 min
Suffragette-defaced penny
Neil MacGregor with a penny coin defaced by suffragettes with the words "Votes for women".
Oct 14, 2010 · 13 min
Sudanese slit drum
Neil MacGregor with a wooden drum from Sudan that Kitchener presented to Queen Victoria.
Oct 13, 2010 · 13 min
Hokusai's The Great Wave
Neil MacGregor with a familiar image - Hokusai's The Great Wave.
Oct 12, 2010 · 14 min
Early Victorian tea set
Neil MacGregor tells the story of the global trade in tea - with a Victorian tea set.
Oct 11, 2010 · 14 min
Ship's chronometer from HMS Beagle
Neil MacGregor with a chronometer that accompanied Darwin to South America.
Oct 8, 2010 · 14 min
Jade bi
Neil MacGregor with an object from the 18th-century Chinese Enlightenment - a jade disc
Oct 7, 2010 · 13 min
Australian Bark Shield
Neil MacGregor with a bark shield brought from Australia by Captain Cook
Oct 6, 2010 · 13 min
North American Buckskin Map
Neil MacGregor with a buckskin map from North America
Oct 5, 2010 · 13 min
Hawaiian feather helmet
Neil MacGregor with a feathered helmet given to Captain Cook by Pacific Islanders.
Oct 4, 2010 · 14 min
Akan Drum
Neil MacGregor with an African drum taken to America during the slave trade
Oct 1, 2010 · 13 min
Reformation Centenary Broadsheet
Neil MacGregor with a souvenir of the 100th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.
Sep 30, 2010 · 14 min
Mexican Codex Map
Neil MacGregor explores the Spanish religious conquest of Mexico with a map.
Sep 29, 2010 · 14 min
Shadow Puppet of Bima
Neil MacGregor explores religion and politics in South East Asia through a shadow puppet.

A History of the World in 100 Objects

From The World to America: Neil MacGregor meets Roman Mars

Object 101

Solar-powered lamp and charger

Credit card

Throne of Weapons

Hockney's In the Dull Village

Russian revolutionary plate

Suffragette-defaced penny

Sudanese slit drum

Hokusai's The Great Wave

Early Victorian tea set

Ship's chronometer from HMS Beagle

Jade bi

Australian Bark Shield

North American Buckskin Map

Hawaiian feather helmet

Akan Drum

Reformation Centenary Broadsheet

Mexican Codex Map

Shadow Puppet of Bima