Exhibition Voices of the Pacific: Innovation and Tradition

Description

Exhibition

Voices of the Pacific: Innovation and Tradition

November 7, 2025 - February 15, 2026

For millennia, the cultures of the Pacific islands have developed a wealth of everyday and ceremonial objects that reflect the creativity and artistic sensibility of their people.

The exhibition brings together more than two hundred objects from different cultures and periods of Oceania.

THE PIECES INCLUDE HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS AND CONTEMPORARY WORKS THAT REFLECT THE RICHNESS OF OCEANIAN ART.

From New Guinea to Hawaii, and from Rapa Nui to New Zealand, Oceania is a network of islands and cultures united by the Pacific Ocean. This ocean has not only been their source of sustenance but has also inspired the development of their creativity.

The exhibition features over two hundred historical and contemporary pieces from the British Museum's collections dedicated to the peoples of the Pacific Islands. These include ceremonial paddles, basalt figurines of ancestors, garments made from mulberry bark, hats, models of war canoes, necklaces and nose ornaments, and mother-of-pearl fishhooks. It is a comprehensive display of the artistic genius of Oceanic peoples, structured into seven sections: innovation and tradition, innovators, weavers, dancers, warriors, carvers, and travelers.