20th Century

Soldiers from the Women's Royal Army Corps

Second World War

A brief guide to VE Day

A Red Cross worker in the United States, 1918

Spanish flu: the virus that changed the world

Women 'take the air' in an attempt to ward off the Spanish Flu

First World War

“Far too little, too late”: what happened when Spanish Flu hit Britain?

Toby Wilkinson gives a lecture on the archaeologists and adventurers whose discoveries helped transform our understanding of the ancient Egyptians

Adventure and archaeology in the golden age of Egyptology

Black and white photo of a group of women marching while holding a sign saying 'International Women's Day'

A brief history of International Women’s Day: what is it and why do we celebrate it?

Though green dominates the celebrations today, the colour blue was first associated with St Patrick. The earliest depictions of the saint show him in blue garments, as in this 13th century folio, La Vie des Sains. ( Image ©The British Library Board/Leemage / Bridgeman Images)

A brief history of St. Patrick’s Day

Helen O’Hara highlights female pioneers of film, and reveals some of the challenges faced by women working in Hollywood over the past century. (Image by Getty Images)

The women who fought back against Hollywood

Broadcaster and author Cathy Newman shares stories of duos that changed the course of history. (Image by Getty Images)

Rivalries and romances: couples that shook up history

The space race: everything you wanted to know

The space race: everything you wanted to know

The Featherington sisters (played by Nichola Coughlan, Harriet Cains and Polly Walker) curtsey to Queen Charlotte in Netflix series ‘Bridgerton’ as part of their debutante debut. (Photo by LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIX © 2020)

From balls to Bridgerton: a brief history of debutantes and the social season

We mark LGBT+ History Month with a panel discussion tackling some of the biggest themes in LGBTQ history. (Image by Getty Images)

The big questions of LGBTQ history

Graham Hutchings discusses how China was convulsed by the communist revolution of 1949. (Image by Getty Images)

Chaos & communism: China’s 1949 revolution

An Athenian red-figure kylix (cup) dating from around 510–500 BC depicts a young pentathlete pulling his older lover towards him for a kiss. In many of the city-states of ancient Greece, sex between a man and a youth was an accepted – even idealised – form of love, its virtues extolled in works by writers including Plato. (Photo by Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

General ancient history

Pride and prejudice: same-sex relations through history

Lucy Worsley, Joshua Levine and Yasmine Permaul discuss how Londoners really reacted to the devastating bombing raids. (Image by Getty Images)

Second World War

Is “Blitz Spirit” a myth?

Lord Fiske, chairman of the Decimal Currency Board, makes a purchase at a Woolworths using the new currency on Decimal Day, 15 February 1971

Decimal Day: when Britain said farewell to the shilling