A new exhibition, Samurai, at the British Museum examines the history and mythology of Japan’s samurai class.
The exhibition brings together more than 280 objects from the museum and 29 lenders, including armor, artworks, clothing, and photographs.
Curators state that after 1615, about half of the samurai class were women, though most did not fight in wars.
“It’s a surprise that comes from a narrow use or a narrow understanding of the word samurai,” said curator Dr Rosina Buckland.
The exhibition runs from February 3 to May 4, 2026, and explores samurai roles across warfare, culture, and popular media.
