From this weekend, an exhibition entitled "Treasures of the World's Culture - the British Museum after 250 years," opens at the Capital Museum.

The exhibits, 272 in all, are highlights of the art treasures from different periods ranging from ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, from the Middle Ages to modern times, and from different areas of East Asia, South Asia, Oceania, America, Africa and Europe.

Covering a long span of human history from two million years ago to the end of the 20th century, the exhibits including sculptures, paintings, jewellery, gold, bronzes, stone artefacts and ceramics, represent the evolution and development of mankind. Highlights include the earliest manmade stone tool from Tanzania, the Rosetta Stone from ancient Egypt, stone sculptures from ancient Greece, an emperor's marble sculpture from the Roman Empire, Leonardo da Vinci's sketch work, Nude Male, Raphael's Virgin Mary and Rembrandt's etching work The Three Crosses.

Divided into 13 parts based on origins and dates, the show is arranged in the museum's massive 1,400-square-metre hall. With backdrops imitating their respective historical environments, the exhibits are presented using high-tech facilities, light effects and audio equipment. To ensure a deeper understanding for the cultural background of the exhibits, a series of lectures and activities will accompany the show.

As the world's oldest national public museum, the British Museum, founded in 1753, has developed a reputation for curatorial exchanges and skills sharing, and has been working tirelessly with museums around the world to promote universal understanding through the arts, natural history and science.

Wu Liping

9 am-5 pm, Mar 18 - Jun 5 at Beijing Museum, 16 Fuxingmenwai Dajie, Xicheng District. 6337-0491/2. , 16

(China Daily 03/23/2006 page12)