Our current exhibitions
Upcoming exhibitions
Stuff: things that make us human
25 January to 30 March 2025
For a long time, people thought that making tools is what separates humans from other animals. History books used to talk about ‘man the toolmaker’, but we have discovered that many other animals – not just apes – also make and use tools. And the phrase doesn’t even include women!
What makes humans different? We have attachments to our things that no other animal seems to: we give it meaning and it holds memories. We can love it, and we use it to show who we are, Humanity’s unique behaviour is all based around our stuff.
This exhibition draws from all the Museum’s collections, from art to archaeology, from costume to natural history. Expect the unexpected!
Past exhibitions
Find out about past exhibitions here.