THE BRITISH MUSEUM

The British Museum acquired the Throne of Weapons in 2002 from an exhibition curated by Julia Fairrie at the Oxo Tower in London (Swords into Ploughshares: Transforming Arms into Art).

‘The Throne is a contemporary work of art with a global significance, linking the arts of Africa with the Western arts scene, and Mozambique with the global arms trade. None of the guns in the Throne were made in Mozambique, none in Africa, thus it becomes a sculpture in which we are all, one way or another, complicit’ said Chris Spring, Curator, British Museum.

Neil MacGregor’s BBC radio series and book: A History of the World in 100 Objects features the Throne of Weapons. October 2010

Neil MacGregor's A History of the World in 100 Objects takes a bold, original approach to human history, exploring past civilizations through the objects that defined them. Seen through MacGregor's eyes, history is a kaleidoscope - shifting, interconnected, constantly surprising, and shaping our world today in ways that most of us have never imagined.

The British Musem collaborated with Christian Aid to commission the artists of the Associação Núcleo de Arte to create a Tree of Life through TAE. This was installed in the Museum in February 2005. At the same time the Throne of Weapons began a nationwide tour of the United Kingdom.

‘The Throne of Weapons is perhaps the British Museum’s most eloquent object, certainly the one that has been shown in the greatest variety of contexts: community and shopping centres, cathedrals, popular music concerts, youth forums, government offices and a prison, as well as to museums from south London to Perth in Scotland, Cardiff in Wales and Belfast in Northern Ireland in the UK and exhibition venues internationally’ said Frances Carey, British Museum