British Museum
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What Visitors Say
The British Museum is one of the most important museums in the world and an essential destination for anyone visiting London. Its collections span thousands of years of human history, representing civilizations from every continent, including Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Asia. The Mesopotamian galleries are particularly outstanding, with iconic objects such as Assyrian reliefs, cuneiform tablets, and artifacts from ancient Iraq that provide deep insight into the origins of writing, cities, and complex societies. The Egyptian mummies, the Rosetta Stone, and the Parthenon sculptures are equally impressive and well displayed. The museum is well organized, free to enter, and supported by clear signage and informative explanations. The Great Court is an architectural highlight and a perfect place to rest between galleries. Staff are helpful, and the atmosphere is welcoming for researchers, students, families, and general visitors alike. A visit to the British Museum is not just a museum experience, but a journey through human civilization. Highly recommended for anyone interested in history, archaeology, and world heritage.
It would take weeks, if not months, if not years to fully ingest the insane number of treasures of human culture found in the British Museum—spending a few hours here is a good way to start. Like all the great British museums this one is also free, an astonishing public benefit unique to this country. Along with the National Gallery, the V&A, and the Tate Modern/Tate Britain, visiting this collection is an indispensable experience while in London, and rewards repeated returns. Pick a section and do a deep dive or just wander aimlessly through room after room—always a worthwhile adventure.
Always amazing to visit. Incredible catalogue of ancient art. There is a lot to see in this enormous place. I specially enjoy the Egyptian and Greek exhibitions. Really detail oriented and including several examples of the concepts illustrated. The Rosetta stone is also a highlight in the museum.
I had 45 mins to spare and as I was just around the corner, and had never been, I decided to pop in. Vast, impressive buildings, a short queue to have bags checked by security. I wandered around the first floor and headed to Europe exhibits - very impressive. They have regular exhibitions which are advertised well inside the building. There are at least two small cafes and one bigger restaurant , all looked good, I didn’t use them though. Plenty of toilets but again can’t comment on the cleanliness etc as didn’t use. The museum was very clean in all areas. Plenty of staff in hand for questions. It was midweek, a Tuesday , at 2pm and was very busy with school children and tourists but I didn’t feel crowded. I hope to return again on a specific visit do the day.
Displaying one of the world's finest collections of antiquities, the British Museum contains more than 13 million artifacts from the ancient world. With priceless objects from Assyria, Babylonia, China, Europe, and elsewhere, it's hard to know where to begin in this expansive attraction. It is both an architectural beauty and a trove of some of the world's most noted antiquities and did I mention- it's free to visit. In fact, all museums are in London. Isn't it great? Fact: I read somewhere (not on WhatsApp), that there is only 1 % artifacts on display in BM, the rest 99% are still kept somewhere... just imagine what a loot it was around the world in the name of colonialism... of course some are gifts, but i am sure the majority of them are looted. I am an Indian, and I saw the whole temple from India is on display (similar to the Parthenon Sculptures), and this is the case in every country. You name it, it's there. From the Rosetta Stone to the Parthenon Sculptures to Mesopotamian objects, the British Museum is a history buff's dream, containing artifacts in the millions. The immense collection can make an initial museum visit seem overwhelming: Pick the exhibits that most interest you, and plan return trips if you feel so inclined My wife is a museum nerd (she has a sticker for that, too). We did not have much time, so we only spent 2-3 hrs and covered the top 10-15 artefacts like My guide book ( if you want to follow) Lower Floor ------------------- The Rosetta Stone (Room 4) Parthenon Sculptures (Room 18) Bust of Ramesses the Great (Room 4) Hoa Hakananai'a [Easter Island Statues] (Room 24) The Ife head (Room 25) Statue of Tara (Room 33) Tang dynasty tomb figures (Room 33) Aztec serpent (Room 27) Upper floors ----------------- Mummy of Katebet (Room 63) Samurai armour (Room 93) Royal Game of Ur (Room 56) Oxus treasure (Room 52) The Sutton Hoo ship burial (Room 41) Lewis Chessmen (Room 40) Others ------------- Mausoleum at Halikarnassos – Room 21. Portland Vase – Room 70. Oxus Treasure – Room 52. Tree of Life – Room 25. Figure of Shiva Nataraja – Room 33. Figure of Buddha – Room 33. Samurai armour and helmet – Room 93. In addition to a well-stocked, on-site bookshop boasting an exhaustive array of titles on ancient history, archaeology and art history, and don't forget to check their Grant Hall and library.
Highlights
Rosetta Stone
Key to decoding Egyptian hieroglyphsCarved in 196 BC and rediscovered in 1799, its Greek, Demotic and hieroglyphic texts let Champollion crack the code of ancient Egypt in 1822, giving voice to a lost script.
Room 4, Ground Floor
Parthenon Sculptures
Masterpieces from Athens’ AcropolisCreated around 447-432 BC, these marble carvings once wrapped the Parthenon temple, showing ritual processions and mythic battles that set gods and mortals side by side.
Room 18, Ground Floor
Egyptian Mummies
Burials spanning 3,000 yearsMore than 120 mummies and coffins, from c.3000 BC to Roman Egypt, chart changing beliefs, resins and wrappings used to prepare the dead for an eternal afterlife.
Rooms 62-63, Upper Floor
Lewis Chessmen
12th-century Norse ivory chess setFound in 1831 on the Isle of Lewis, 93 walrus-ivory pieces-grimacing bishops to shield-biting rooks-reveal medieval humour and seafaring trade across the North Atlantic.
Room 40, Upper Floor
Great Court
Europe’s largest covered public squareOpened in 2000, Norman Foster’s glass roof spans 3,312 uniquely shaped panes over two acres, transforming the 1857 Reading Room courtyard into a bright civic space.
Central Hall, Ground Floor
Opening Hours
Fun Facts
Founded in 1753, the museum opened in 1759 on Great Russell Street as one of the world’s first public museums.
The collection holds about 8 million objects-only around 1% can be displayed at once.
In 2023 the museum welcomed about 5.8 million visitors, up roughly 42% on 2022.
The Lewis Chessmen cameo as wizard chess pieces in the 2001 film Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
The Great Court’s glass roof covers two acres with 3,312 unique panes, no two exactly alike.
