Leeds Museums and Galleries: Director's Choice

Leeds Museums and Galleries is the largest local-authority-run Museum service in England and Wales, with nine sites ranging from magnificent stately homes, industrial sites, museums, an art gallery and a medieval abbey. Core to the service are the collections, an estimated 1.3 million individual objects across a vast range of disciplines which have an international reputation for their quality, depth and unique nature.

Through these collections we tell stories of world civilizations, human evolution, the rise of the industrialized world, human creativity and the environment in which we live. The collections and stories are endlessly amazing, remarkable and a source of joy and inspiration for everyone.

John Roles has been Head of Leeds Museums and Galleries since 2004. He selects here 37 items from the collections that resonate for him personally.