Medieval monasteries
Christian monasticism developed in Egypt in the 3rd century when some Christians chose poverty and isolation as a w…
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Religious processions 1300–1500
Processions played an important role in the religious cycle, particularly on saints' festivals and during the …
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Music from choirbook leaves
This page contains examples of Gregorian chant performed by students from the Royal College of Music. Gregorian cha…
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Chants from a choirbook from Florence
The two sung prayers you can listen to here are modern recordings of pieces contained in a large, elegantly illustr…
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Temple and worship in China
There are three main systems of belief in China: Daoism (sometimes written Taoism), Buddhism and Confucianism.…
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Renaissance preachers
During the Italian Renaissance, charismatic preachers spoke not only about spiritual matters but also about the soc…
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Saints & suffering
During the medieval and Renaissance periods, saints, particularly female saints, were also venerated because of the…
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Design for Life
Design for life: a national museum education project
The Church and the Baroque
The patronage of the Roman Catholic Church was fundamental to the Baroque style. Promoted by generations of popes, cardinals, priests, missionaries, worshippers and lay-patrons, the style spread to the four corners of the globe.
The Ascension Relief by Donatello, 1428-30
Donatello is regarded as one of the greatest sculptors of the 1400s and this marble panel is one of the finest surviving examples of his innovative work in extremely low relief. You can listen to a description of the panel, and learn more about the life of Donatello in a second audio.
Early theatre: Religious drama
Most early theatre in England was religious and evolved from the liturgical drama of the 10th and 11th centuries. Theatre became a truly popular form when the clergy encouraged the staging of mystery cycles in England from around 1350.
Donate to the Stained Glass Appeal
We are currently working on an exciting project to conserve and re-install the original stained glass on the landings of the Manfred and Lydia Gorvy Lecture Theatre. We need your help to raise £75,000 to bring these historical features back to their former glory for us all to enjoy.
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Reasons to be Cheerful: The Life and Work of Barney Bubbles
A celebration of the life and work of one of the greatest designers of recent times.
Buy nowEvent - Sacred Spaces: Synagogue, Church and Mosque
Mon 13 May 2013 14:00
SHORT COURSE: Discover the powerful expression of the Abrahamic faiths – Judaism, Christianity and Islam – through architecture and art.
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