Mary Beard introduces her top five Museum objects

First up is the object that started it all – some ancient Egyptian baking, which Mary encountered at the Museum aged just five! http://ow.ly/J82b30qwn4a 

We’ll be sharing more inspiring objects from staff throughout the day

Second is this Michelangelo drawing of Adam for the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel – Mary describes seeing it in person for the first time: http://ow.ly/J82b30qwn4a 

Number three is the first and only object on Mary’s list from the Classical world – a bronze head of the Roman emperor Augustus. Mary details why she thinks it’s such a fascinating object: http://ow.ly/J82b30qwn4a 

Object number four is this badge of Mary Anning from @LymeRegisMuseum – “the kind of thing that any one of us might have owned, that will become the history of the future”. Find out why a modest object means so much to Mary: http://ow.ly/J82b30qwn4a 

Number five is a brass head of an Ooni (king) of Ife, made over 600 years ago. Read Mary’s thoughts about this extraordinary work of art: http://ow.ly/J82b30qwn4a