I traveled the globe to the world’s most interesting museums, bypassing the main galleries in favor of the things you can’t usually see. The things I found were astounding; in the basement of the Royal Society in London, I put my eye to Newton’s telescope, just as he did centuries ago in his lab in the Tower of London; in Edinburgh I pored over the original draft of Auld Lang Syne, now sung all over the world at New Year; at the New York Public Library I held a letter opener which belonged to Dickens — the handle was made the paw of his beloved cat Bob; and in the Vatican observatory in the countryside outside Rome, I marveled at pieces of Mars.

Two years of adventures later I had written the stories of sixty objects, their hidden location and the curators who care for them. These tales of hidden treasures make up The Secret Museum. It’s impossible to pick a favorite because I love them all, but here’s a taster to get you started. Hopefully you’ll dip into your own copy and find personal favorite treasures to enjoy.

See them all: 8 Treasures That Are Too Precious To Display In Museums (PHOTOS) | Molly Oldfield.

Flag from the Battle of Trafalgar