A breathtaking journey through time, culture and art, this 18-part series includes stunning images of rarely seen treasures that represent the development of world culture and art from the Stone Age to the 20th century.

Originally built in 1754, the State Hermitage museum in St Petersberg, occupies six magnificent buildings and is home to more than 3 million masterpieces collected over two and a half centuries from every school of Western art.

This is a vast selection of rarely seen treasures, from Ancient China to 20th Century France, with fascinating narratives about the art, the artists and the times. And, it's all highlighted with fine classical music that illuminates the stunning visual images, making each of the 18 programmes a unique and memorable experience.