British Museum – Burma to Myanmar

Advance booking only 

From influential superpower to repressive regime, Myanmar – also known as Burma – has seen dramatic fluctuations in fortune over the past 1,500 years. Experiencing decades of civil war and now ruled again by a military dictatorship, Myanmar is an isolated figure on the world stage today, and its story is relatively little known in the West. However, the extraordinary artistic output of its peoples, over more than a millennium of cultural and political change, attests to its pivotal role at the crossroads of Asia.

Picking up the thread around AD 450, the exhibition explores how Myanmar’s various peoples interacted with each other and the world around them, leading to new ideas and art forms. Links with Thailand, China, Sri Lanka, and traders from the Middle East and Europe, created a fertile ground for diverse cultures to flourish. Rulers in central Myanmar came to dominate parts of the region between the 16th and 19th centuries, becoming the largest empire in mainland Southeast Asia. Annexation by the British in the 19th century saw tremendous changes impacting art, culture and society – and contributed to the turmoil faced by Myanmar today.

The show concludes by exploring how modern-day artists have defied state censors, marrying activism with artistic traditions in expressions of resistance and hope.

To claim this offer, add the promo code in the top-right corner of the booking page on the British Museum website.