See the development of human culture on every continent from prehistory to the present at The British Museum. The museum houses one of the largest collections of works in the world, some 8 million. You'll encounter many significant items here, including the Rosetta Stone, the Magna Carta, and the Parthenon Frieze. The museum is broken into various departments, each covering a specific place and time, such as ancient Egypt and Sudan, or a theme, such as coins and medals. The works cover a broad spectrum of styles, from ancient carvings, sculptures, stoneware, and gold metalwork to prints and drawings from famous Renaissance artists. You won't have time to cover all the museum's collections in a single visit, so you should choose subjects that interest you and focus on them. A map of the museum helps you navigate efficiently. Pick up a copy at an information point inside, or download a digital one to your smartphone or tablet ahead of time. If you're not sure which galleries to visit, you can join a highlights tour. Departing twice a day every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, these guided tours show you the museum's most important pieces. Book this tour online or at the information desk in the front court. If specific galleries interest you, try to catch one of the free daily Eye-Opener tours. Galleries host one of these 30- to 40-minute tours per day, giving you a deeper historical understanding of specific periods and regions. Arrange to visit The British Museum and other attractions in London using our London trip tool.
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The British Museum reviews
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Sadly the most famous object they have "The Roseta Stone" still doesn't interest me at all despite dozens of visits. Maybe I'm not cultured or sophisticated enough to know the value of it yet. I... more »
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My favourite room in the British Museum is the Enlightenment Gallery. Last time I was there, I spent ages looking at all the amazing objects collected and concentrated in this huge space and all its..... more »
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Great Museum with stolen monuments from all over the world.... The audio guide was very helpful for my visit here. I spent whole day here to explore. It is huge, so better to decide in advance which items you would look. That is quite efficient if not you will be lost in the museum.. Good luck!
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Wonderful collections from everywhere (even isolated Mexican American Tribes). Nice to see the variety of finds. Nicely labeled and investigated. The Chinese section had many modern pieces, which would be more 'art museum' pieces, and not history, but the rest was spot on. More restrooms would be nice, and the upper levels get very warm. It's better to visit during the week, wouldn't recommend weekends, too many people.
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