The British Museum ★★★
Ancient World 101: The archeological wonders of London's British Museum
The Brits have quite possibly the world's greatest archaeological collection, spanning the globe and plumbing back to the very origins of modern civilization in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome and others—and all of it free.
The treasures inside span the globe and history, from the Rosetta Stone—the key that cracked the code of Egyptian hieroglyphics—to the towering lamassus, winged bull/men that guarded the gates to Assyrian palaces in 880 BC; and from the 2,000-year-old Lindow Man, ritually strangled and drowned in a peat bog that preserved his shriveled body, to the famous Elgin Marbles, the grandest of the carved reliefs that once decorated Athens' Parthenon.
The kids are usually reliably fascinated by room after room of royal Egyptian mummies, there are Celtic treasures galore, and don't miss the moai (one of those giant stone heads from Easter Island).
Tips & Links
ADDRESS
Great Russell St. (a block north of Oxford St.)
Tel. +44-(0)20-7323-8299
www.britishmuseum.org
OPEN
Sat–Thurs 10am-5:30pm, Fri 10am–8:30pm
ADMISSION
Free
TRANSPORT
Tube: Holborn, Tottenham Court Rd, or Russell Sq.
Bus: 7, 1, 8, 10, 14, 19, 24, 25, 29, 38, 55, 73, 98, 134, 242, 390
Hop-on/Hop-off bus: Blue
Planning your day: I've been the British Museum roughly two dozen times, and there are still galleries in which I've never even set foot. Several days would not be enough to explore every nook and historical cranny of this fascinating museum.
Still, you can probably take a spin through the highlights in 2 to 3 hours.
My advice: Spend a couple of half-days here (followed by a pub grub lunch at the old Museum Tavern across the street from the main entrance). After all, it's free.
Guided tours of the museum's highlights costs £12 per person, but there are also some free tours: The daily "Eye Openers" tours of themed parts of the collections (30–40 minutes); Tues-Fri Lunchtime gallery talks (45 minutes)l and Friday evening Spotlight tours (20 minutes).
Here are other, more in-depth tours from our partners of The British Museum collections:
SIGHTS
Tourist info: Visitlondon.com, Londontown.com, Visitbritain.com
Sightseeing pass: London Pass (60+ sights; transit optional)
Tours & activities: Viator.com, ContextTravel.com, Londonwalks.com, City-Discovery.com
LODGING
Hotels: Booking.com, Venere.com, Priceline.com, HotelsCombined.com
B&Bs: Booking.com, Bedandbreakfast.com, Venere.com, Hostelworld.com, Airbnb.com, Hostelbookers.com, Hostelz.com
Apartments: Vrbo.com, Booking.com, Venere.com, Rentalo.com, Airbnb.com, Hostelworld.com, Hostelbookers.com, Interhomeusa.com, Homeaway.com
Hostels & campgrounds: Hostelworld.com, Gomio.com, Hostelbookers.com, Booking.com, HostelsClub.com, Hostelz.com
TRANSPORT
Airfares: Momondo.com, AutoEurope.com, Vayama.com, Cheapflights.com, DoHop.com, CheapTickets.com, CheapOAir.com, Orbitz.com, Expedia.com, Travelocity.com,
Priceline.com, Kayak.com, Hotwire.com
Airports: Heathrowairport.com, Gatwickairport.com, Stanstedairport.com, London-luton.co.uk, Londoncityairport.com
Trains: Nationalrail.co.uk, Thetrainline.com, Raileurope.com, Bahn.de, Seat61.com
Public transport: Tfl.gov.uk; London Pass (free public transit option; sightseeing); Transportdirect.info (compare bus, rail, driving options across the UK)
Car rentals: Autoeurope.com, RentalCars.com, Momondo.com, Orbitz.com, Expedia.com, Travelocity.com
Top London tour companies
Top London tours
London walking tours
- London: Portrait of a City
- Hidden London
- Welcome to London
- Full Day in London
- Charles Dickens: Storyteller of Victorian London
- Jack the Ripper Tour and London Ghost Walk
- Monarchy and Parliament: Westminster and the Struggle for Democracy
- Harry Potter Walking Tour of London including River Thames Boat Ride
- London Orientation: Kensington and Knightsbridge
- Literary London: The Garden Squares of Bloomsbury
- From Shakespeare to the Globe: The Evolution of Theatre in London
- London, City of Markets and Trade
- The Beatles London Walk
- Historical Pub Walking Tour of London
- Tides of Time - A Riverside Stroll
- Masterpieces of a Genius: The Churches of Sir Christopher Wren
- Introduction to London Architecture
- London Under Attack Walking Tour and Indian Curry
- Music for Kings: Handel and the Baroque Court
- Notting Hill and Portobello Market
- Classic London Walking Tour and Fish 'n Chips
- Jewish London
- Runner's Tour of London
- Private Tour: London Walking Tour
- Custom Walk (half day)
- Custom Walk (full day)
Musuem tours
- British Museum: A Guided Tour of the Museum and Collection
- British Museum for Families
- Private Tour: London Walking Tour of the British Museum and Soane Museum
- Truth and Illusion in the National Gallery
- The National Gallery for Families: A World of Stories
- Tate Modern tour
- Victoria and Albert Museum: Art and Design on a Grand Scale
- V&A: From Eighteenth-Century Splendour to His Majesty, McQueen: 250 years of British Fashion
- Private Tour: London Walking Tour of Apsley House and the Victoria and Albert Museum
- Tate Britain – A Picture of Britain
- Private Tour: Tate Britain and Tate Modern
- Sir John Soane's Museum: The Labyrinth
- The Blitz - London During the War (Musuem of London; St. Paul's)
- Custom Walk (half day)
- Custom Walk (full day)
Skip-the-line tickets (no tour; just priority entry)
Monuments & palaces tours
- Tower of London tour
- Private Tour: London Walking Tour of the Tower of London and Tower Bridge
- Viator VIP: Exclusive-Access Tour to The Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral and The View from The Shard
- The Royal London Tour including Buckingham Palace
- Buckingham Palace and Afternoon Tea at Chez Gerard
- Royal London Tour with St. Pauls Cathedral and Buckingham Palace visit
- Hampton Court Palace: 200 Years of History, Architecture, and Design
- Kensington Palace tour
- Private Tour: Chauffeur-Driven English Castles Tour of London (Windsor, Wardour, and Highclere [aka "Downton Abbey"])
- Custom Walk (half day)
- Custom Walk (full day)
Skip-the-line tickets (no tour; just priority entry)
- Royal Palaces Pass: Kensington Palace, Hampton Court and Tower of London
- Skip the Line: Tower of London Tickets
- Tower of London tickets and Thames River Sightseeing Cruise
- Skip the Line: Kensington Palace Tickets
- Skip the Line: Hampton Court Palace Tickets
Church tours
- Westminster Abbey, Britain Through the Ages
- St. Paul's: Masterpieces of a Genius: The Churches of Sir Christopher Wren
- St. Paul's Cathedral tour
- Royal London Tour with St. Pauls Cathedral and Buckingham Palace visit
- Viator VIP: Exclusive-Access Tour to The Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral and The View from The Shard
- Private Tour: London Walking Tour of St Paul's Cathedral
- The Blitz - London During the War (Musuem of London; St. Paul's)
- Custom Walk (half day)
- Custom Walk (full day)
Skip-the-line tickets (no tour; just priority entry)
- St. Paul's Cathedral Entrance Ticket
- St. Paul's Cathedral Entrance Ticket with Traditional Afternoon Tea
Other sight tours
- Shakespeare's Globe Theatre Tour and Exhibition
- Monarchy and Parliament: Westminster and the Struggle for Democracy
- Leighton House, Jewel of the Nineteenth Century
- Private Tour: London Walking Tour
- Custom Walk (half day)
- Custom Walk (full day)
Skip-the-line tickets (no tour; just priority entry)
- London Eye: Skip the Line Tickets
- London Eye and Thames River Sightseeing Cruise
- Kew Gardens Entrance Ticket
- The Shard London: The View from The Shard
- Skip the Line: London Dungeon
- Skip the Line: London Zoo Tickets
- Skip the Line: Sea Life London Aquarium
- Sea Life London Aquarium: VIP Behind the Scenes Tour
- Ripley’s Believe It or Not! in London
- London Combo: Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Ticket and Planet Hollywood Meal
- England Heritage Attraction Pass
Musuems
Monuments & palaces
- Royal Palaces Pass: Kensington Palace, Hampton Court and Tower of London
- Skip the Line: Tower of London Tickets
- Tower of London tickets and Thames River Sightseeing Cruise
- Skip the Line: Kensington Palace Tickets
- Skip the Line: Hampton Court Palace Tickets
Churches
- St. Paul's Cathedral Entrance Ticket
- St. Paul's Cathedral Entrance Ticket with Traditional Afternoon Tea
London Eye
- London Eye: Skip the Line Tickets
- London Eye and Thames River Sightseeing Cruise
- London Eye: River Cruise Experience
- London Eye: Champagne Experience
- London Eye Cupid's Capsule
Other
- Kew Gardens Entrance Ticket
- The Shard London: The View from The Shard
- Skip the Line: London Dungeon
- Skip the Line: London Zoo Tickets
- Skip the Line: Sea Life London Aquarium
- Sea Life London Aquarium: VIP Behind the Scenes Tour
- Ripley’s Believe It or Not! in London
- London Combo: Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Ticket and Planet Hollywood Meal
- England Heritage Attraction Pass
Combos
- Royal Palaces Pass: Kensington Palace, Hampton Court and Tower of London
- London Eye and Thames River Sightseeing Cruise
- St. Paul's Cathedral Entrance Ticket with Traditional Afternoon Tea
- Tower of London and Thames River Sightseeing Cruise
- Madame Tussauds and Thames River Sightseeing Cruise
- England Heritage Attraction Pass
Historical tours of London
- London: Portrait of a City
- Monarchy and Parliament: Westminster and the Struggle for Democracy
- Charles Dickens: Storyteller of Victorian London
- Hampton Court Palace: 200 Years of History, Architecture, and Design
- Hidden London
- From Shakespeare to the Globe: The Evolution of Theatre in London
- Jack the Ripper Tour and London Ghost Walk
- Westminster Abbey, Britain Through the Ages
- Tides of Time - A Riverside Stroll
- London, City of Markets and Trade
- Of Waterloo and Wellington
- The Blitz - London During the War
- Wartime London Tour: Westminster and the West End
- Wartime London Tour: The City and Imperial War Museum
- Trail of the Archbishop: Roman and Medieval Canterbury
- Gangster Walking Tour of London’s East End led by Stephen Marcus
- Jewish London
- Custom Walk (half day)
- Custom Walk (full day)
Literary tours of London
- Charles Dickens: Storyteller of Victorian London
- From Shakespeare to the Globe: The Evolution of Theatre in London
- Shakespeare's Globe Theatre Tour and Exhibition
- Literary London: The Garden Squares of Bloomsbury
- Harry Potter Walking Tour of London including River Thames Boat Ride
- Harry Potter Film Location Tour of London
- Private Tour: Harry Potter Black Taxi Tour of London
- Harry Potter London Bus Tour
- Sherlock Holmes Walking Tour of London
- Sherlock Holmes Film Location Tour in London
- Custom Walk (half day)
- Custom Walk (full day)
Art and architecture tours of London
- Truth and Illusion in the National Gallery
- A World of Stories, The National Gallery for Families
- Masterpieces of a Genius: The Churches of Sir Christopher Wren
- Victoria and Albert Museum: Art and Design on a Grand Scale
- Contemporary Artists' Studios of London
- Introduction to London Architecture
- Architecture Walking Tour of London
- London Street Art Walking Tour
- Graffiti Walking Tour of London
- Drawing London: A Hands-on Art Workshop
- Modern Houses for Modern Minds: 1930s Hampstead
- Custom Walk (half day)
- Custom Walk (full day)
Harry Potter
- Warner Bros. Studio: The Making of Harry Potter with Luxury Round-Trip Transport from London
- Warner Bros. Studio Tour London Including Private Extended Session in the Actual Great Hall from Harry Potter
- Harry Potter Film Location Tour of London
- Harry Potter Walking Tour of London including River Thames Boat Ride
- Private Tour: Harry Potter Black Taxi Tour of London
- London Film Location Walking Tour: Bridget Jones' Diary, Sherlock Holmes and Harry Potter
Downton Abbey
- ‘Downton Abbey’ TV Locations Tour of Oxfordshire from London
- Downton Abbey and Oxford Tour from London Including Highclere Castle
- 'Downton Abbey' TV Locations and Blenheim Palace Tour from London
- Private Tour: 'Downton Abbey’ Film Locations Tour by Private Chauffeur
- Small-Group 'Downton Abbey' and Highclere Castle Tour from Londo n
- Private Tour: Chauffeur-Driven English Castles Tour of London: Windsor, Wardour, and Highclere (aka "Downton Abbey")
Doctor Who
Sherlock, Bond, and others
Culinary and food market tours of London
- Gastronomic London
- London East End Food Tour
- London Market Walk
- London's Chocolate Walking Tour
- London Food Walking Tour: Brixton and Borough Markets
- Great Food Tour of London with 6 Tastings
- Classic London Walking Tour and Fish 'n Chips
- London Under Attack Walking Tour and Indian Curry
- Cupcake and Macaron Tour of London with 7 Tastings
- Custom Walk (half day)
- Custom Walk (full day)
Specialty meals in London
Tours of London pubs & other drinking establishments
London bike tours & other active tours
- London Royal Parks Bike Tour including Hyde Park
- Grand London Bike Tour
- London Evening Bike Tour
- London Super Saver: Royal London Bike Tour plus Evening Walking Tour with Fish and Chips Dinner
- Secret London Bike Tour
- The Central London Bicycle Tour
- Small-Group River Thames Bike Tour
- London Bike Tour: Maritime Greenwich and Olympic Park
- Small-Group Windsor Castle Bike Tour from London
- Hampton Court Palace Bike Tour from London
- Windsor Castle by Bike
- London Bike Tour - East, West or Central London
- 2012 London Olympics: Bike Tour of Olympic Park and East London
- Night Bicycle Tour of London
- River Thames Night Bike Tour
- Ultimate Sunday in London: River Thames Bike Tour, Camden Market Shopping, and Westminster Abbey Organ Recital
- Runner's Tour of London
Related Articles
- London sights (top | unique | free)
- London itineraries
- London homepage
- England homepage
- U.K. homepage
- More European destinations
This article was by Reid Bramblett and last updated in November 2013.
All information was accurate at the time.
Copyright © 1998–2013 by Reid Bramblett. Author: Reid Bramblett.
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The Travel Store        |
Great Russell St. (a block north of Oxford St.)
Tel. +44-(0)20-7323-8299
www.britishmuseum.org
OPEN
Sat–Thurs 10am-5:30pm, Fri 10am–8:30pm
ADMISSION
Free
TRANSPORT
Tube: Holborn, Tottenham Court Rd, or Russell Sq.
Bus: 7, 1, 8, 10, 14, 19, 24, 25, 29, 38, 55, 73, 98, 134, 242, 390
Hop-on/Hop-off bus: Blue
TOURS
Tourist info: Visitlondon.com, Londontown.com, Visitbritain.com
Sightseeing pass: London Pass (60+ sights; transit optional)
Tours & activities: Viator.com, ContextTravel.com, Londonwalks.com, City-Discovery.com
LODGING
Hotels: Booking.com, Venere.com, Priceline.com, HotelsCombined.com
B&Bs: Booking.com, Bedandbreakfast.com, Venere.com, Hostelworld.com, Airbnb.com, Hostelbookers.com, Hostelz.com
Apartments: Vrbo.com, Booking.com, Venere.com, Rentalo.com, Airbnb.com, Hostelworld.com, Hostelbookers.com, Interhomeusa.com, Homeaway.com
Hostels & campgrounds: Hostelworld.com, Gomio.com, Hostelbookers.com, Booking.com, HostelsClub.com, Hostelz.com
TRANSPORT
Airfares: Momondo.com, AutoEurope.com, Vayama.com, Cheapflights.com, DoHop.com, CheapTickets.com, CheapOAir.com, Orbitz.com, Expedia.com, Travelocity.com, Priceline.com, Kayak.com, Hotwire.com
Airports: Heathrowairport.com, Gatwickairport.com, Stanstedairport.com, London-luton.co.uk, Londoncityairport.com
Trains: Nationalrail.co.uk, Thetrainline.com, Raileurope.com, Bahn.de, Seat61.com
Public transport: Tfl.gov.uk; London Pass (free public transit option; sightseeing); Transportdirect.info (compare bus, rail, driving options across the UK)
Car rentals: Autoeurope.com, RentalCars.com, Momondo.com, Orbitz.com, Expedia.com, Travelocity.com
