British Museum Reviews (London, England)

Best of British

London, England, United Kingdom

August 11, 2013

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Best of IgoUgo Open Daily: 10am to 5pm (Fridays until 8.30pm). Admission: FREENearest Tubes: Holborn (Central & Piccadilly Line), Tottenham Court Road (Central and Northern Line), Goodge Street (Northern Line) and Russell Square (Piccadilly Line). There are ...Read more Open Daily: 10am to 5pm (Fridays until 8.30pm). Admission: FREE

Nearest Tubes: Holborn (Central & Piccadilly Line), Tottenham Court Road (Central and Northern Line), Goodge Street (Northern Line) and Russell Square (Piccadilly Line).
There are about twenty different bus routes that come through the roads neighbouring the museum, where you will also find cycle racks and ‘Boris Bikes’.

The Times newspaper recently claimed this was the second best museum in the world (after the Smithsonian in Washington, USA) and whist I have not visited all the museums on the list (or even all the museums in London, I do think this museum gives many of them a run for their money. But, as it is free to go in, it won’t cost you any money!

It would be impossible to see everything currently exhibited in a day, and I would recommend breaking the day up into manageable chunks, that fit in with your own time and interests. Saying that, I last turned up on a Friday evening and ‘winged it’, but this may mean museum fatigue could set in before you have got to your favourite parts.

One area that is always popular, especially with school parties, is the Egyptology section (best avoided during the day, during term-time) and there is a very good range of mummies and coffins. The Ancient Greece and Rome section is also quite vast. I picked up a free map and used their suggested eleven highlights as a guideline route around the museum. Not all of their highlights were my highlights, but the route took me round much of the museum, including some of the less visited galleries, which I enjoyed.

For me, highlights included an ivory plaque depicting a lioness eating a boy from Ancient Levant (the western part of the present Middle East), a 1901 Tiffany cash register, Chinese porcelain dragons, an Easter Island statue and virtually the entire African collection. This really is just touching the surface of everything the museum has to offer.

I’ll be the first to admit that the layout isn’t always cohesive and can sometimes be confusing, so I recommend comfy shoes! There are lifts so the entire museum can be accessible, and support for the visually impaired is also available. Families are encouraged with special activities available from the family desk and free kids meals (when an adult eats) in one of the cafes. There are several eating options from a sit down served meal, to kiosks selling drinks and snacks, both in the museum and in its grounds. There is also a large gift shop in the Great Court.

A visit to the British museum is well worth doing, as there is so much to see, but the sheer vastness of the collection can be overwhelming, so I recommend choosing a few sections of interest at a time, but allow some additional time for new discoveries.
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From journal Things to Do in London - Part 7

Wonderfully Traditional

by TianjinPaul

Rotherham, United Kingdom

August 8, 2012

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Best of IgoUgo It has always been an ambition of mine to visit the British Museum. For many years, I was desperately keen to view the treasures it contains. Therefore, when I dragged my girlfriend along Tottenham Court Road and into the lavish imperial ...Read more It has always been an ambition of mine to visit the British Museum. For many years, I was desperately keen to view the treasures it contains. Therefore, when I dragged my girlfriend along Tottenham Court Road and into the lavish imperial surroundings, expectations were high. They were probably so high that no matter what the museum contained, I was not quite going to be satisfied. However, whilst I was not 100% blown away, the British Museum was wonderful and we were very impressed.

We started our visit in the Middle East and Islamic section of the museum, which was wonderful. It featured artefacts from Persia and the Ottoman Empire that were fantastic. There were some fantastic murals and pottery as well as some wonderful carpets and tapestries. From there, we moved onto the North America section, which focused on native civilizations such as American 'Indians' and the Aztecs and Mayans from Mexico. There were some very interesting displays including some wonderful masks.

The Islamic sections and the North American sections were excellent. However, they were blown out of the water completely by the Egyptian Greek sections. The Egyptian section features artefacts from the era of the Pharaohs with sculptures and statues taken from the Pyramids and the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Many of these are absolutely stunning and in fantastic condition. There were some small sphinx's and sculptures of Pharaohs that simply dominated the room and took the breath away. The only better display of Egyptian artefacts comes in Cairo's Egyptian Museum. The Greek room was similarly impressive. It featured huge displays from across the ancient Greek Empire that were truly stunning. There were scores of sculptures and murals. However, the centre-piece was the display of murals from the Parthenon. These were absolutely magnificent. The carving was so beautiful and delicate that it felt scarcely believable that they were over 2,000 years ago.

The British Museum is very much in the traditional school of museums. There are no new-fangled gizmos such as interactive touch screens or video displays. It relies solely on the gravity of the objects it has on display to keep visitors interesting. As these artefacts are so wonderful, this works well. It creates a magnificent feeling of tradition and history. I felt that I was almost gaining knowledge by simply breathing in the air that surrounded some of the displays.

As wonderful as the museum was, I had a few grumbles about it. The first is the amount of space that goes unused. There is a huge central area that has very few actual displays and could easily be utilised to display more artefacts. It is well-known that the museum is in possession of huge amounts of ancient artefacts that are in storage and not on display. A great example of this is the collection of Silk Road artefacts brought (less than ethically) to the UK by the explorer/robber Aurel Stein. This collection is large enough to fill a museum on its own, but the majority remains in packing crates. It would be wonderful if the museum were to use the space better and to get some of this on display.

The British Museum is a fantastic educational experience. I waited a long time to visit, but if I had the opportunity, I would return tomorrow. Admission is free.
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From journal Musuems and Galleries

history time

by Judibo

Rockville, Maryland

January 3, 2012

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This museum is full of history, not only British... but the world history...There you can walk around mummies, roman statues, buda statue and oriental statues. One of the most amazing exhibit in the British Museum for me was the concept of the ...Read more

From journal Europe

British Museum Provides Historical Education!

by StevenHampshire

Surrey, England, United Kingdom

December 20, 2011

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While I am quite fond of museums in general, there is perhaps none in the world that so consistently leaves me impressed as the British Museum in London. Its massive collection of historical artifacts, plundered treasures, and unique art pieces is ...Read more

Definitely a must see in London

by marcostusso

Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay

August 24, 2010

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From the Rosetta Stone, to all Greece and Ancient Egypt sections, learn about world history, reserve 4/5 hours minimum.

Visit the British Museum!

by ns1209

Southend, United Kingdom

March 26, 2010

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Best of IgoUgo The British Museum is a really interesting place to visit and one of the places I would recommend to anyone to visit if they happened to be in London!The museum is massive and features many exhibits from places all around the world. There is so ...Read more

From journal Things to Do in London

Imperial Loot

by MagdaDH_AlexH

Perth, Scotland, United Kingdom

September 10, 2009

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Best of IgoUgo The British Museum is an absolute must for all people interested in archaeology and antiques, be it British, European or Middle Eastern. It's a veritable treasure house of artefacts and a centre of learning (with a library accessible to scholars). ...Read more

From journal London on the Cheap

The British Museum - Truly a Wonder of the World

by Liam Hetherington

Manchester, United Kingdom

February 28, 2009

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Best of IgoUgo One of the greatest things about London is that it houses the treasure trove that is the British Museum. It’s somewhat hidden away in Bloomsbury. It’s a five-minute walk from Goodge Street, Russell Square, Tottenham Court Rd or Holborn Tube ...Read more

From journal The A-Muse-ment Arcades: Culture on the Cheap

Antiquities in Time

by tvordj

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

November 8, 2008

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Best of IgoUgo The British Museum is one of the top museums in the world and for good reason. It's main focus is ancient civilizations and the development of civilization in general. It's also one of the oldest museums in the world, opened in 1759 on the site of ...Read more The British Museum is one of the top museums in the world and for good reason. It's main focus is ancient civilizations and the development of civilization in general. It's also one of the oldest museums in the world, opened in 1759 on the site of the current building which was opened in the mid 1800s and it has expanded several times since then. One of the original buildings considered was Buckingham House which later became Buckingham Palace! The British Museum also consisted of an extensive library, originating with the library items donated by King George III. Up until a few years ago, the Library was also part of the building that currently houses the BM but it now has it's own dedicated building near St. Pancras station, a short distance away. The Natural History museum was built to take on the overflow of that facet of the collections. If you've seen the size of that, you can imagine how much space even a portion of it took under one roof with all the other collections.

The British Museum has many very famous items, often brought back from afar during explorations and excursions into places like the South Seas, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Ancient Roman, Greek, Turkish and Absynnian treasures, sculpture, and pieces from tombs and monuments are there. The famed Rosetta Stone that was found by Napoleon's troops in Egypt helped scholars break the code of the hieroglyphics in Egyptian tombs and the Egyptian Mummy collection is probably the best outside of Egypt. You'll need good shoes and stamina to see the whole of the museum's 2 miles of exhibits!

Another popular sight is the aforementioned Rosetta Stone. There are usually crowds around this as well so it's sometimes difficult to get in close to have a look. It's also behind glass so if you're taking photos with a flash, approach it from an angle if you can. The huge Elgin Marbles and other ancient stone work such as the Neried monuments are very interesting and are in larger rooms so crowds don't seem to be as much of an issue.

If sculpture or mummies aren't your thing, they also have loads of drawings and prints including some by the great masters of the art world such as Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt and Michaelangelo. There are also galleries representing the rich cultures of Africa, Asia, the South Seas and the Americas. In fact, there's a Haida totem pole from Canada in the Great court! I was rather pleased to see that!

I've been to the museum twice in my visits to London and would like to go again to see more of it. The first time was some years ago and we walked and walked and walked. There's a lot to take in and you probably shouldn't expect to see the whole of it in one go, even with breaks or a light meal in the cafe. Pick what you would like to see the most and plan your route. But check out some of the other galleries too, you might be pleasantly surprised. The Egyptian antiquities galleries are probably the most popular and thus, the most crowded. Go early if you can. It fills up quickly with school groups and tourists.

The second time I went was a couple of years ago. We had hoped to get tickets to the special exhibition about the Chinese Terra Cotta warriors but weren't able to in time. Our stay in London was only brief that time, so we weren't there early to queue for the day-release tickets either. We decided to have a quick look through some of the highlights at least, during a late opening. We did a thorough job of exploring the mummies and other Egyptian items which were really fascinating. The paint and gilding on the caskets is still so bright and vivid, and the hieroglyphics on some of them as clear as if they were written last week. We got a look at the Rosetta Stone and some of the big Greek sculpture, marbles and bronzes as well. One thing that we came across by accident that turned out to be one of my favourite things were these two colossal winged human headed bulls or some sort of mythical animals that were carved in to walls that guarded an Assyrian palace.

The British Museum is free for all but special exhibits will have a cost. You can buy tickets for these online. They are often timed tickets for the really popular shows. There are several gift shops and a cafe and there is a lift as well, for disabled access. The main entrance has a little lift to the side of the stairs and there's a level access around the side on Montague Place. It's open late on Thursday and Friday until 8:30 though the Great Court is accessible later than that on those days. Don't really see the point, though, if the galleries aren't open unless they have something particular going on. There are several options if you want to eat or shop. You are allowed to take photos of anything, as well.

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From journal London and Italy on Tour 1996

British Museum (The)

by callen60

Ozarks, Missouri

April 22, 2008

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Best of IgoUgo If you were some millennial Rip Van Winkle, waking with a need to catch up after missing most of human history, where would you go for a crash course? Should I ever be asked to provide such a recommendation, there’s no doubt about the answer: The ...Read more If you were some millennial Rip Van Winkle, waking with a need to catch up after missing most of human history, where would you go for a crash course? Should I ever be asked to provide such a recommendation, there’s no doubt about the answer: The British Museum is your only real choice. An amazing byproduct of empire, this nearly overwhelming collection has something to offer on every great civilization our planet has known—in fact, it probably has more to offer on every culture than can be found anywhere else.

It’s well known as home (at least so far) to the Elgin Marbles, the beautiful metopes and friezes removed from the exterior of the Parthenon by Lord Elgin in the first decade of the 19th century. This major exhibit on the Museum’s first floor is a highlight of any visit. It’s amazing to see the realism with which Greek sculptors captured human (and not so human) form, especially those in movement or tension. It’s also tantalizing to imagine the Parthenon with these treasures restored, and better yet, with this temple to Athena intact and in full splendor—which includes bright colors on the white marble. There’s no avoiding the question of whether the Greek nation is entitled to the return of pieces of such importance: the Museum tackles the question head-on with a pamphlet that rather unashamedly makes the case that the protection and exhibition offered in London is a superior choice.

For the record, we weren’t convinced, although I do give Elgin some credit for ensuring their preservation. The 19th century was still discovering the importance and value of antiquity, and given that the Parthenon’s use as an Ottoman ammunition dump had nearly led to the temple’s destruction in 1687, I think his decision is a supportable one. Not everyone agreed: for example, I’d hate to have any of my decisions questioned in verse by Lord Byron. Plus, as the pamphlet points out, he brought them out of Athens with the agreement of the authorities. But the situation is a little different two centuries later.

All these pieces are displayed in a space that’s the Parthenon turned inside out: the marbles face the interior of this room, while in their original locations, they were on the temple’s exterior. The metopes from the Parthenon’s four walls each tell the story of a different battle: on the north side, the Trojan War; on the other three sides, mythical battles that portray ‘civilized’ Athens’ (the Lapiths in the South Metopes) conflict with ’uncivilized’ Persia (the wild, half-animal Centaurs).

On your way to this alternate Parthenon, you’ll probably pass by the Rosetta Stone. It’s breathtaking to turn a corner and see this iconic piece, which is as important as a symbol of archaeology and antiquity as it is for its role in deciphering hieroglyphics. It’s enclosed in a modest glass case, but that’s all: you can get within eight inches of it. It’s easy to see the three different languages—hieroglyphic, Demotic (a late Egyptian script from about 500 BC), and Greek—whose message is a mundane, self-promoting decree from one of the late Egyptian rulers around 200 BC. If you look carefully at the top section of hieroglyphics, you can see the sets of characters circled in a lasso-like enclosure: these are incidences of Ptolemy’s name, which required a phonetic ‘spelling’, since they were Greek words. They were Champollion’s first key to ultimately deciphering the stone and the hieroglyphs. (For a terrific account of his life and this major accomplishment, I recommend Daniel Meyerson’s The Linguist and the Emperor.)

And then there’s Egypt, Babylon, Assyria, Rome, Africa, Asia, … the Museum’s collection from the middle East is awe-inspiring. Expeditions from the 19th and early 20th centuries uncovered long-buried cities such as Ur, Nimrod, Nineveh, and others, and brought the Epic of Gilgamesh back into the world after centuries of absence. The major results of that work are all here. If you have an interest in any of the world’s great civilizations—or are looking to discover one—you’ll find it hard to leave this place. I spent an unplanned 30 minutes learning about jade and its role in culture and trade, which I stumbled upon in a long hallway on the second floor.

And since the millennial opening of the Great Court, the building itself is worth visiting, too. For years, the British Library was also housed here, finally given its own deserved building in 1998 (about a mile north near Euston Station). It’s the largest covered square in Europe, whose tessellated glass roof creates the neatest indoor site I know to experience a sunset. Unfortunately, the Museum has decided to solve a problem by taking over the famous Reading Room here in the central column of the Great Court: in 2001, when we visited, it was open to the public; now it’s been decided to use it for special (i.e., charging) exhibitions. The Terracotta army from the tomb of China’s first Qin Emperor were in residence during our trip, with £12 tickets sold out long in advance.

Best of all, the rest of the British Museum is free. I can’t get over that. My biggest regret of both visits to London is that I haven’t left myself nearly enough time to explore this place.
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From journal London, Free and Easy

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Wonderfully Traditional

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British Museum Provides Historical Education!

Definitely a must see in London

Visit the British Museum!

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Best of British

Wonderfully Traditional

history time

British Museum Provides Historical Education!

Definitely a must see in London

Visit the British Museum!

Imperial Loot

The British Museum - Truly a Wonder of the World

Antiquities in Time

British Museum (The)