History

Throughout its reign, the British Empire stole a lot of stuff. Journalist Marc Fennell uncovers the messy histories behind some of their loot.

Historian Sam Willis reveals how the Silk Road’s interchange of ideas, cultures and religions changed the course of humanity.

Outdoor writer and historian Meghan J. Ward revisits Mary Schäffer Warren’s 1908 expedition to Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park.

Former miners and police officers recall the Battle of Orgreave – a violent flashpoint during Britain's 1984/85 Miners’ Strike.

Like her younger brother, Maria Anna Mozart was a child prodigy, performing with him throughout Europe. So why has she been forgotten?

Explores the extraordinary life of legendary entertainer Mae West, who subverted societal norms with her defiantly liberated persona.

For over a century, Black artists have been exploited by the music industry. This insightful series chronicles their fight for fair pay and justice.

In this landmark BBC series, David Olusoga presents a history of Britain with Black people written back in its pages, from the African Romans who guarded Hadrian’s Wall in the 3rd century AD to the Black trumpeter of the Tudor courts and the three African kings who stood up to Empire.

At 99 years old, cellist Anita Lasker-Wallfisch recounts her experiences playing in a prisoner orchestra at Auschwitz.

Emily Carr's unconventional life and her connection to the First Nations peoples of the northwest coast of BC deeply influenced her art.

Lucy Worsley explores the lives of six real people who lived, worked and volunteered during the Blitz, highlighting the government's reliance on ordinary people.

Egyptologist Joann Fletcher takes us through 5,000 years of Ancient Egypt, full of spectacular sites and epic stories.

At 90, Martha Katz reflects on painful memories of the Holocaust and a tough but rewarding post-war life in Winnipeg.

Chinese Canadian dance artist Tony Chong dives into his family’s history to find his place in the world.

Join historian Bettany Hughes as she uncovers some of the most extraordinary treasures of human civilization.

This illuminating docudrama explores the tumultuous life story of one of history's most celebrated writers: William Shakespeare.

Holly Andersen learns more about her community's connection to generations of displaced northern Labrador Inuit.

Director Larry Weinstein's deeply personal documentary explores war, hope and the legacy of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.

Nearly 75 years ago, Kwakwaka’wakw Chief Mungo Martin and Jewish ethnomusicologist Ida Halpern saved over a hundred Kwak'wala songs from being lost forever.

The remarkable story of the Asahi baseball team, who won the prestigious Pacific Northwest Championship for five straight years.

Lucy Worsley takes us behind closed doors at three royal palaces - the Tower of London, Hampton Court and Kensington Palace.

Historian David Olusoga traces the events, the people and the forces that transformed four separate nations into the United Kingdom.

Renowned Chinese Australian artist Jiawei Shen undertakes a massively ambitious artwork about the history of communism.

Thousands of Indigenous Canadians enlisted and fought during the Second World War, despite being denied equality in their own country.

Some 70 years after the Japanese Army forced them into sexual slavery during the Second World War, three former "comfort women" share their stories.

Michael Fukushima chronicles the story of his father Minoru, who was sent to internment camps during the Second World War.

Director Mina Shum reopens the file on a watershed moment in Canadian race relations - the infamous Sir George Williams riot.

Cowichan filmmaker Harold C. Joe explores how the cedar tree is central to the cultural life of West Coast First Nations.

Two doctors share their stories of displacement during the Second World War - a Japanese Canadian man born in Vancouver, and a Canadian born in Japan.

Barely 700 people survived the sinking of the Titanic, including six Chinese men. But their arrival in New York was met with suspicion.

Filmmaker Karen Cho explores community efforts to save Chinatowns in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and New York.

Filmmaker Keira Loughran and Helen Lee set out to examine the legacy of their respective grandmothers - women of indomitable spirit who fought against Canada’s anti-Chinese immigration laws.

After the Second World War, thousands of Asian servicemen were secretly deported from the UK and Australia, leaving loved ones behind.

Comedian Frank Skinner and author Denise Mina retrace the footsteps of Samuel Johnson and James Boswell on their tour of Scotland in 1773.

Rob Bell, Angellica Bell and Michael Buerk explore the devastating events of the 1941 Blitz bombardment of Liverpool.

Lucy Worsley investigates the lies told about six of Europe's Royal dynasties- from Henry VII's Reformation, Marie Antoinette's execution, the Russian Revolution, and more.

Discover how the silver trade kick-started the global economy, connecting China to the European empires and the Americas starting in the 16th century.

Rob Bell explores the story of four of London's most iconic bridges - London Bridge, Westminster Bridge, Tower Bridge and Waterloo Bridge.

Journalist Samira Ahmed travels to places few Westerners have seen as she explores the complex and fascinating history of the Persian Empire.

Railway historian Tim Dunn and Siddy Holloway from the London Transport Museum explore the hidden parts of London’s Tube network.

This is the story of life during the Nazi era for Germans and the people of the occupied countries - a time of extremes, hardships and devastation.

Second World War historian James Holland gets inside the Nazi war machine, exploring their extraordinary weaponry and flawed designs.

Through rare archival film and home movies, we get a glimpse into everyday life in Singapore dating back to 1900.

A treasure trove of archival film provides glimpses of daily life and historic events in India during the first half of the 20th century.

This portrait chronicles the highs and lows of visionary Vancouver-based architect Arthur Erickson's personal and professional life.

Based on writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin’s final manuscript, Raoul Peck’s documentary examines race relations in America.

Dan Jones, Suzannah Lipscomb and Rob Bell tell the story of how London grew from a small Roman trading post to the thriving megacity of today.

Filmmaker Sherman De Jesus explores the legacy of James Van Der Zee, a Black photographer whose lens captured the people and spirit of Harlem.

Hogan's Alley was once the heart of a thriving Black community in Vancouver. Now a new generation is trying to carve out new spaces for community.

Art historian James Fox tells the story of the clash between Oceanic and Western culture that changed art, and the world, forever.

Suzy Klein explores how music in the 19th century influenced industrial, political and technological revolutions.

Discover the remarkable stories of the courageous female soldiers, pilots and spies who fought, flew and died in the Second World War.

With China's growing influence, this series explores its rise as an economic superpower and the repercussions of its rapid growth.

From the Great War onwards, this series explores the impact of war on Australia's veterans and how profoundly they've shaped the nation.

Mariella Frostrup explores how the UK's most stunning landscapes inspired the Brontës, Jane Austen, Beatrix Potter and Daphne du Maurier.

Rob Bell uncovers the secrets of historic British ships that shaped the world, revealing tales of daring, genius and dazzling invention.

Local experts and historians search out the secrets of some of the world's most iconic cities, revealing fascinating stories.

In the summer of 1945, the Allies celebrated a return to peace. But soon an Iron Curtain was erected, signalling the start of the Cold War.

Journalist Sathnam Sanghera examines the 1919 Amritsar massacre, when troops under British command shot and killed peaceful protestors.

The mayor of Mussolini's hometown wants to create Italy's first museum on fascism, in the hopes of countering its uncomfortable legacy.

Filmmaker Rachel Perkins tells the story of Australia's First Wars, which emerged from Indigenous resistance to British settlement.

Arthur Williams, a pilot and former Royal Marine, discovers the people and places that changed the course of the Second World War.

Chronicles the love, life and legacy of Art Johnston and Pepe Peña, Chicago LGBTQ+ pioneers and owners of the iconic queer bar Sidetrack.

Comedian Zoe Coombs Marr wipes away the straightwashing and peers into the untold and frankly fascinating queer history of Australia.

Rembrandt's art is much admired, but his remarkable life is less well-known. 350 years after his death, his surprising story is told.

Historian Onyeka Nubia sheds new light on the Victorian era, unearthing a society riddled with inequality but changing like never before.

This docudrama brings to life the complexity, diversity and interconnectedness of Indigenous peoples across the Americas before the arrival of Columbus.

Historian Suzannah Lipscomb follows the trail of England's most fascinating dynasty - the Tudor kings and queens who shaped the nation's identity.

Curators of community archives across BC are working to preserve a more inclusive history, bringing to light untold stories from the past.

Thirty years after the Yugoslav Wars broke out, this documentary traces the impact of the international tribunal set up to prosecute war criminals.

Alanis Obomsawin (Abenaki) blends a powerful speech by the Ojibwe former senator with testimonies from residential school survivors.

Historian Bettany Hughes journeys to temples, palaces and cities as she discovers India's rich history, traditions and culture.

In February 1933, the German Parliament building burned down, and democracy went along with it. But who set fire to the Reichstag - and why?

Former Royal Marine Monty Halls explores the perilous Freedom Trails that men and women used to escape from Nazi-occupied Europe.

The story of this devastating global conflict is told through those who fought it, those who led it and those who lived through it.

Comedian Frank Skinner and author Denise Mina follow in the footsteps of 18th-century humorists Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift.

The injust Japanese internment is explored through the story of Kyuichi Nomoto, one of the first Japanese Canadians to graduate from UBC.

Rob Collins rediscovers the ancient innovations and scientific inventions of Australia's First People - the world's oldest living culture.

Comedian Frank Skinner and author Denise Mina retrace the passionate friendship of Romantic poets Wordsworth and Coleridge.

Singaporean scholar and curator Peter Lee travels to Japan and South Korea to seek out the epic history of four distinct peoples.

Author Damian Barr goes in search of the lasting influence of one of Scotland's greatest historical figures - Sir Walter Scott.

Singaporean curator and scholar Peter Lee travels across Southeast Asia to explore the rise and fall of four great empires.

Leading artists and thinkers explore eight dramatic turning points in British history through the prism of its art.

Historian Bettany Hughes sets sail on an epic journey up the Nile to explore the history and highlights of Ancient Egypt.

Historian Amanda Vickery rescues female artists from the shadows of obscurity, giving them their rightful place in the history of Western art.

Professor Amanda Vickery explores how and why different periods and generations of readers have been won over by Jane Austen's classic novels.

Historians and First Nations Elders recount the near-mythic life of Tzouhalem, Chief of the Cowichan First Nation during the mid-1800s.

Born in 1873, Alice Guy made nearly a thousand films on both sides of the Atlantic. Yet film historians nearly erased her pioneering achievements.

Narrated by William Shatner, this documentary recounts the development, production and testing of nuclear weapons between 1945 and 1963.

In 1939, Velma was jailed for falling in love with a Chinese man. Decades later, she fought for justice from the Canadian government.

Colourized archival footage tells the story of the First World War in the battlefields, the strategy rooms and behind the frontlines.

Armed with Conrad's Heart of Darkness, a British Nigerian university student goes in search of the legacy of colonialism in West Africa.

Filmmaker Cheryl Foggo examines the myths surrounding John Ware, a Black cowboy who settled in Alberta before the turn of the 20th century.

Highlights the unique history of the Great Depression in Vancouver and the influx of transient men that arrived with it.

Three siblings whose mother was from the Musqueam First Nation travel to their father's ancestral village in China for the first time.

Margaret Mountford uncovers the story of Harry Burton, whose photos of the Tutankhamun excavation created a global sensation.

Tony Robinson embarks on walks through some of Britain's most historic landscapes in search of the richest stories from its past.

Art sleuth Bendor Grosvenor and social historian Emma Dabiri search for Britain’s lost and hidden public treasures.

Explore sixty years of Cuba's history and its place in the world, with views from every side - the Cubans, the Russians and the Americans.

Mohawk activist Mary Two-Axe Earley fought for more than two decades against gender discrimination in Canada's Indian Act.

This poetic documentary tells the parallel stories of two First Nations men who returned home and the ancient song that connects them.

Director Michal Weits delves into family history in this brave account of how the Jewish National Fund acquired land in Palestine.

Classicist Mary Beard investigates the real Julius Caesar, separating fact from fiction and revealing how his influence is still felt today.

Experts illuminate moments in Winston Churchill's life that informed his decisions during the war, revealing his significant role in history.

Indigenous artist Carey Newman creates a piece called The Witness Blanket to commemorate the experiences of residential school survivors across Canada.

Andrew Marr tells the stories behind ten of the greatest paintings in the world - exploring works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet and more.

Classicist Mary Beard answers the big questions about the Roman Empire that have fascinated people for centuries.

Egyptologist Joann Fletcher explores what it was like to be a woman of power in ancient Egypt - from everyday life to the influence they wielded.

Tori Herridge, Carla Valentine and Raksha Dave attempt to piece together the lives behind human bones uncovered in UK archaeological digs.

The history of British Columbia is retold from a diverse and inclusive perspective by those who have lived it and those who have studied it.

In the early 1900s, photographer Senjiro Hayashi took images of people of every race, class and gender in Cumberland, BC.

Historian David Olusoga examines the forgotten price of the abolition of slavery and its lasting impact on British society.

A look at six decades of Afghan history through the eyes of those who were there: warriors and civilians, men and women.

Journalist Afua Hirsch explores African countries that are reimagining the past and forging the future with art, music, fashion and dance.

A biography of the controversial industrialist Charles Bedaux, who in 1934 attempted an outlandish trek over the Rockies to Telegraph Cove, BC.

How did a small plastic bowl company become a cultural phenomenon? This is the story of Brownie Wise and her Tupperware Ladies.

Inspired by Odysseus, Bettany Hughes makes an epic journey by sea, learning the truths behind Greek myths and legends.

Rob Bell takes us on a voyage to the seas around Britain and Ireland to reveal the stories and secrets of offshore lighthouses.

This series charts Hitler’s political rise from the far-right fringes to election as Chancellor following the 1929 economic crisis.

Lucy Worsley digs into America's much-mythologized past to discover the half-truths and distortions that underpin the country's history.

Over two million men from across Asia fought in the First World War, yet few remember them or their sacrifices.

Historian Sam Willis charts the history of armed combat, examining the pivotal events that brought about the changing weapons of war.

On November 11, 1918, the world emerged from the most horrific conflict ever known. But peace proved to be fragile.

A moving look at 150 years of Canadian history through the iconic family photograph, focusing on the stories of five diverse Canadian families.

Classicist Mary Beard puts aside the stories of Emperors and armies to meet the ordinary people who lived in Ancient Rome.

This groundbreaking three-part series shares the amazing stories of workers, industries and events spanning three centuries of British Columbia's history.

Egyptologist Joann Fletcher explores what it was like to live in ancient Egypt as an ordinary person, not a great Pharoah.