BBC brings history of the world to life

The BBC has begun one of its most ambitious projects to date to bring the history of the world to life via TV, radio and now the web.

At the heart of the project, A History of the World, is the Radio 4 series - A History of the World in 100 objects.

However, the project is a collaborative one, with the BBC working with museums and institutions around the country, including the British Museum, 45 local BBC websites, plus the public to bring objects that have local or global resonance; such as a 3,200 year old cup, a Carnival costume and a Banksy painting.

The BBC website lets visitors see the objects it is collecting with online video and a 'zoom in' facility so they can view objects in detail. Background information on each object is provided by experts and users are given some historical context for each item.

There will be localised and interactive elements. And the radio programmes will be permanently available for listening or downloading.

As part of the ongoing project, the 45 participating BBC local websites will each produce a list of 10 objects they believe reflects the history of their region and its place in the world.

Audiences across BBC local radio, regional television and its websites are being asked to contribute their own objects and stories.

The Radio 4 series is currently under way and a new 13-part series, titled Relic: Guardians of the museum, will air on CBBC at the end of this month, showcasing objects from the British Museum to a younger audience.