The British Museum may be controversial for its collection from countries around the globe, some of whom have asked for their artefacts back, but there’s no denying the institution offers the visitor an extraordinary chance to experience worldwide cultures – mostly for free and all under one roof.
Nordic Noir
The programme for 2026 is no exception. On now and until 22 March 2026, and featuring over 150 works by 100 artists from the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden), Nordic noir unites disquieting works by Edvard Munch with other graphic arts, such as Norwegian woodcuts, Danish prints mining the threat of the Cold War, and political screenprints by the Norwegian GRAS (Grass) group. As a thriller writer myself, I loved the chance to become immersed in these landscapes and influences including Norse myth, psychoanalytics, feminism, and the rights of Indigenous Sámi people.
Hawai‘i—a kingdom crossing oceans
Recently opened and on until 25 May 2026, Hawai‘i—a kingdom crossing oceans brings together feathered cloaks worn by chiefs and carved deities, shark-toothed weapons, and contemporary works by Kānaka ʻŌiwi (Native Hawaiian) artists. Commemorating over 200 years since the adventurous young King Liholiho and Queen Kamāmalu undertook a fateful sailing to England in 1824, the exhibition has been built on “years of collaboration with Native Hawaiian artists, practitioners and scholars” the museum says, and shines “new light on exceptional objects and extraordinary stories.” Tickets cost from £16 for non-member adults but are free for under 16s.
Samurai
Japan is one of the world’s favourite destinations right now but between 3 February and 4 May 2026, the curious can learn about these legendary Japanese warriors without leaving London. Although a figure of “courage, honour and self-sacrifice,” Samurais are a concept much of which is “invented tradition,” the museum points out. The story of the evolution of the samurai from medieval warrior classes to scholars, poets, painters is told through battle gear and suits of armour, incense, Louis Vuitton outfits, and even modern gaming such as Assassin’s Creed: Shadows. Adult tickets from £23. Members and under-16s free.
Sufi
Turning from East Asia towards the Middle East, North and Sub-Saharan Africa and northern India, the museum’s Sufi exhibition presents objects that represent diverse Sufi communities and their mystical ceremonies, traditions, love, poverty, and asceticism. On display will be Islamic artefacts such as alms bowls associated with dervishes, calligraphic works, miniature paintings, and wall tiles, but the show goes beyond that to explore Sufi influences on wider society too. Free to visit until 26 July 2026.
And the rest
And let’s not forget that the British Museum houses other global riches, varying from a monolithic moʻai carved figure from Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in eastern Polynesia, to the sculptural and theatrical treasures of the Raffles collection from Java, to ancient Egyptian mummies and the Rosetta Stone. Art historian and former museum director Neil MacGregor has called it: “A collection that embraces the whole world.”
