BBC Four

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Art of the Sea

Writer and poet Owen Sheers explores British art and literature inspired by the high seas.

Timothy Spall: Somewhere at Sea

A mini-odyssey along the coast from Cornwall to Wales in the company of the actor Timothy Spall and his wife Shane on their Dutch barge.

The Boats That Built Britain

Sailor and writer Tom Cunliffe takes a voyage through the history of British seafaring and puts some of the vessels featured in the programme through their paces

South Africa Walks

Julia Bradbury sets out on four walks that explore South Africa's claim to be 'a world in one country', going far beyond the normal tourist destinations to a series of increasingly remote locations.

The Beauty of Maps

Documentary series looking at maps in incredible detail to highlight their artistic attributions and reveal the stories that they tell.

Maps: Power, Plunder and Possession

Map expert Professor Jerry Brotton uncovers how maps aren't simply about getting from A to B, but are revealing snapshots of defining moments in history and tools of political power and persuasion.

Beautiful Minds

Beautiful Minds is a BBC documentary series shown on BBC Four, which features significant British scientists who describe their big moment or discovery. The first series aired in April 2010, and the second series in April 2012. Each series consists of three episodes

Indian Hill Railways

From the Himalayas in the north to the Nilgiris in the south - for a hundred years these little trains have climbed through the clouds and into the wonderful world of Indian hill railways.

Les secrets de la matière

Chemistry: A Volatile History

Jim Al-Khalili traces the story of how the elements, the building blocks that make up our entire world, were discovered and mapped.

Shooting the War

Series looking at how WW2 was documented by German and British amateur home movie makers.

The Pharaoh Who Conquered the Sea

Legend has it that Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt's first female pharaoh, sent ships to the land of Punt. Cheryl Ward sets out to recreate the voyage, in search of this mythical land.

Lost Kingdoms of Africa

Lost Kingdoms of Africa is a British television documentary series. It is produced by the BBC. It describes the pre-colonial history of Africa. The series is narrated by Dr. Gus Casely-Hayford. The series was originally commissoned as part of the Wonderful Africa Season on BBC Four in the lead up to the 2010 World Cup. The first season of Lost Kingdoms of Africa was originally screened in the UK on BBC Four each Tuesday night over four weeks, starting on 5 January 2010. The second season of Lost Kingdoms of Africa was broadcast over four weeks, starting on 30 January 2012.

The Art of Russia

Art historian Andrew Graham-Dixon travels through time to unlock the world of Russian art.

Games Britannia

Historian Benjamin Woolley unravels the cultural and social significance of popular games in Britain from the Iron Age to the Information Age.

A History Of Christianity

Professor Diarmaid MacCulloch - one of the world's leading historians - reveals the origins of Christianity and explores what it means to be a Christian.

Culture Fix

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Glamour's Golden Age

Series looking at the 1920s and 30s, which creates a portrait of an age so daring, influential and exciting that it still shapes who we are today.