Voices of the Pacific brings together more than 200 objects from the collections of the British Museum, home to one of the most significant holdings of Oceanic art worldwide. It presents a considered exploration of the cultures of the Pacific, placing its peoples at the heart of the curatorial narrative and foregrounding both historical works and a substantial body of contemporary practice by Oceanic artists who reinterpret and sustain ancestral traditions.

Structured across seven thematic sections, the exhibition offers insight into the cultural, artistic and spiritual diversity of Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia. It examines practices including weaving, dance, carving and navigation, as well as struggles over land and natural resources, situating these within their broader historical and social contexts.

Throughout the galleries, the exhibition extends an invitation to reflection and engagement, emphasising the creativity, innovation and resilience that define these communities. From a contemporary standpoint, the narrative draws a direct connection to urgent global challenges, most notably the impact of climate change, which poses an existential threat to many Pacific islands as sea levels continue to rise.

In doing so, Voices of the Pacific positions ancestral Oceanic cultures as vital sources of knowledge and insight in confronting the environmental challenges of our time.