A 2,000-year-old mummified boy, an ancient marble bust of Emperor Hadrian, as well as an "unlucky" mummy-board are part of a blockbuster show that opens at the National Museum of Singapore on Saturday (Dec 5).

Treasures Of The World From The British Museum exhibition tells a story about human civilisation and cultural achievement across two million years of history.

It features treasures from ancient civilisations spanning Africa, Oceania and the Middle East, as well as Europe, Asia and the Americas.

Mr Brendan Moore, curator, department of international engagement at the British Museum tells The Straits Times about the significance of the oldest artefact in the show - a nearly 800,000-year-old handaxe shaped from quartzite.