The British Museum’s Burma to Myanmar exhibition opens 2nd Nov 2023

BGUK_2761179 - Joseph Hotung Great Court Gallery. Burma to Myanmar is the first major exhibition in the UK to focus on telling the story of Myanmar – also known as Burma. On the 75th anniversary of Myanmar’s independence, the British Museum is staging this unprecedented exhibition to offer the chance to learn about how Myanmar’s history has shaped its present, including the lasting impact of over a century of British colonial rule. Interconnected yet cut-off, rich in natural resources such as jade, rubies and teak but with much of the country living below the poverty line, Myanmar has gone from influential superpower to repressive regime over the past 1,500 years. It has recently experienced decades of civil war and is now ruled again by a military dictatorship and riven with human rights issues including the violent persecution of the Rohingya. This forthcoming exhibition includes over 130 unique objects, most of which will be on display to the public for the very first time.provides a new perspective, looking at Myanmar’s history behind its headlines. It is in four sections: an abundance of riches - geography and natural resources, a landscape of states and networks, the British colonial take-over, and the independence era. Items videod; - An extraordinary seated gold Buddhist reliquary from the 1400s - Standing Buddha circa 1850-99