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New series of ‘Secrets of the Museum’ starts tonight on BBC Two

New series of ‘Secrets of the Museum’ starts tonight on BBC Two

Posted on 7 April 2022 • Arts and social sciences, TV and radio

Woman's hand holding a piece of cloth with signatures written on it

A new series of Secrets of the Museum, co-produced by the BBC and The Open University airs tonight (7 April) on BBC Two at 8pm.

In series three of the popular programme, viewers are treated to behind-the-scenes footage of London’s Victoria & Albert (V&A) museum’s vast collection. We meet the experts that work tirelessly to breathe new life into the museum’s treasures, whilst uncovering hidden stories and preserving the best of past and present.

This year, the V&A is being transformed – with new museums on the way, and more of its collection than ever before travelling to every part of the UK.

In the programme, we find out how the V&A prepares its biggest object for display, we hear the surprising tales of some of its Scottish collection, and unearth the human stories behind objects in their blockbuster shows. From rare works by Donatello to Constable, the secrets of Tommy Cooper’s magic tricks, and meeting the woman who was painted by renowned contemporary artist, Kehinde Wiley – Secrets of the Museum is the perfect escape for a curious mind.

Academic consultants on the series, Dr Clare Taylor, Senior Lecturer in Art History and Leon Wainwright, Professor of Art History have been involved in advising and shaping production. Leon commented:

“The V&A has an expanding geography, with its family of museums stretching throughout the UK. The series uncovers artefacts overlooked in the histories of art and design, and in the process discovers new ways of remembering the past.

“It is intriguing how just a single object from our museums can offer so many stories and excite such a range of opinion.”

Discover more about the series on the OU’s Broadcast & Partnership’s Connect site. Trace the life of some amazing objects that span cultures and generations, with two brand new animations.

This series was commissioned by the OU’s Broadcast and Partnerships team and is supported by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, with particular relevance to R27 BA (Hons) Art History and Visual Cultures and R14 BA (Honours) Arts and Humanities.