The British Museum
The British Museum
4.5
Speciality MuseumsArt MuseumsHistory Museums
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 8:30 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
A museum of the world, for the world. Discover over two million years of human history and culture. Some of the world-famous objects include the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures and Egyptian mummies.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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Admission tickets
from
£10.00
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Top ways to experience The British Museum
The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Bloomsbury
Snuggly nestled within Central London is academic and leafy Bloomsbury, an area that boasts walking distance access to many of London's most popular attractions. It is also home to some of Britain's most celebrated museums, including the must-see British Museum. Despite an understandable popularity with students, tourists and day trippers, vast sections of Bloomsbury retain a quiet, residential feel year round and throughout the week.
How to get there
  • Tottenham Court Road • 6 min walk
  • Russell Square • 6 min walk
Reach out directly
See what travellers are saying
  • Tiffany K
    Colchester, United Kingdom53 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great information and easy to read
    Lovely day out you spend however long you want. Inside The information points were very detailed and easy to read We only did 2.5hrs because for us that was enough. Got really hot inside. Don’t be put off with the queue out the front (it’s very quick) we didn’t need to wait for long.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 8 October 2023
  • advcards
    Reno, Nevada4,279 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Must see and free
    I would consider this one of the must sees of your trip. The biggest areas on Egypt and it is also the busiest area. If you really want to do a good job seeing it I would think you need to budget about four hours the day we went it opened at 10 and people started lining up around 915. Sam had tickets and some didn’t didn’t seem necessary but it might’ve got you in a few minutes faster
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 16 October 2023
  • Claire D
    Melton Mowbray, United Kingdom133 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    History at it's best
    As soon as you walk through the big doors there are loads of things to see and do. We did have to cue round the block to get it but with in ten minutes we where in side after passing through security too. From before Bc right through to the present day there are pots and jewelry and weapons to see and view. The Egyptian part is fascinating as well. Loved every step we made. Due to it being our last day before home we also used the clock room facilities and the cost was very reasonable. Do be aware large pieces of luggage are not allowed in.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 23 October 2023
  • Amberlynn
    Birmingham, United Kingdom2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    kind employees
    I was having a very bad day, my dog died so i decided to get my mind off things and go to the museum. When i was there i spent a long time looking at a sculpture of a dog and one of the staff approached me. Her name was a keida and she was lovely. she noticed i looked upset and brightened my day with her smile. please give her a raise she’s such a kind human being
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 24 October 2023
  • Kati M
    London, United Kingdom1,638 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    One of the best
    The Museum is one of the best in the world. Collect monuments cultures from all the world . I been in all Greek museums also Cairo museum as well. Entrance is free. But it's normal to be when you showing cultures from others countries .
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 25 October 2023
  • KiL
    London, United Kingdom13 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A great place to spend a few hours
    It's home to an impressive array of fascinating galleries, extensive collections, and inspiring displays. From ancient Egyptian artifacts to modern art, the museum has something to offer everyone. The collections are vast and diverse, ranging from prehistoric artifacts to modern art and design. The galleries are well-curated and offer a wealth of information about the history and culture of the world.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 25 October 2023
  • Samantha
    Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom21 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Busy, but efficient.
    We visited on a Saturday so queues to be expected. Whilst we did wait in line we managed to get through it quickly and easily, the baggage check being great - the gent not at a station pulled us over as I only had my small handbag, checked it and waved us through. Excellent! We picked up a map of the Museum, as it was so crammed with people, we just did the sections we were interested in and skipped the rest. Having room numbers on the map was helpful to navigate ourselves around. Toilets are well sign posted and maintained, and the gift shop plentiful and staff friendly.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 25 October 2023
  • Matt T
    Sevenoaks, United Kingdom60 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great museum, so much to look at. Artefacts from all over the world
    There is so much to look at in the museum. Artefacts from all over the world in one place, the museum is absolutely massive and there are so many exhibits. There was no queue when we came, we just had a bag search and then we were in! Would definitely recommend looking at the ancient Egyptians and romans as we found them to be the most interesting, however we didn’t visit all exhibits. Overall a great day out and best of all, its free and they do walk ins! Would definitely recommend for a day out!
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 25 October 2023
  • Kelsey P
    San Rafael, California117 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great museum
    This is a fabulous if overwhelming museum. The tickets are free but we made a timed entry reservation in advance for the earliest slot. When we arrived, the queue was around the block, but it moved fast once doors opened. We followed the 1-hour "highlights" tour found on the museum website. It was a good way to see a good portion of the museum as we walked through while keeping somewhat of a focus, as you could easily spend 3 days here. They also have an extensive gift shop. Definitely worth a visit!
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 26 October 2023
  • Rachel A
    Greater Manchester, United Kingdom27 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A must-see experience!
    We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the British Museum. We didn't expect the museum to be as big as it is - our visit was approx. 3 and a half hours. You have to book a free ticket online in advance to reserve a specific timeslot, however as no one checked our tickets when we entered, I'm not sure how the number of people are controlled as it can get quite busy inside. Not all of the exhibits hold the same level of interest - for example, some of the exhibits are just lots of pots which can get a bit boring after a while. But without a doubt, the best exhibits are Greece and Egypt. Even if you don't enjoy all the exhibits, the fact that this museum is free makes it a must-see experience for anyone. We had a great day out and would definitely recommend to anyone visiting London.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 28 October 2023
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4.5
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Lalita
7 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2020
The newly re-opened British Museum can be visited as long as you book in advance on line for a timed visit.
The ground floor which has such things as the Rosetta stone, the Parat's more than enough for tourists on a first time visit as it's massive. There is a one way system which is easy to follow and no danger from Covid 19! Staff are availalable as always to ask questions and the queue for the Ladies was monitored to prevent too many people crowding together.
Excellent visit. I'll be back.
Written 6 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

KimbKo
Bostonian39 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
We were a group of six who purchased tickets to a private tour, there are a few each day, that begins at 8:50 when the museum is not yet open. It was such a joy to have a knowledgeable guide to take us through a virtually empty museum. This museum is one of the best in the world and daily admission is free so it gets crowded. Go early or book the private tour. It is really very much worth it.
Written 10 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Steviefull
Kidderminster, UK2,043 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021
We were looking for something to do on our arrival in London and this seemed like a good way to spend the 3 hours or so we had spare. The museum has timed entry in effect to limit the number of people at any one time, so it was worth booking in advance just to be sure.

The museum has a bit of everything, set across many rooms, I do recommend downloading the app as it has two separate tours on it, 1 hour and 3 hours, so it will guide you through the highlights.

My personal highlight is the egyptian area with some large impressive statues and sarcophagus.

If you have the time, do not hesitate to visit and please make a donation.
Written 24 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sidney
6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
As someone who loves ancient Greek and Roman history, I had so much fun
I bought an Audio Guide which was amazing because it really helped supplement the plaques that were with each item
If you're like me, who wants to see anything and everything, you need a lot of time. I think I spent about 6 hours in there and I didn't even see any other floor except the ground floor.
Wasn't terribly crowded when I went, though it did get a bit busy around 15-16:00 (3-4 pm)
Also while I was there, I got to see the Troy: Myth and Reality exhibition. That was fantastic to see and it gave great information, whilst giving you a story as you walk-through
Overall, if you like history, and you don't mind spending several hours in the museum, then I highly recommend
Written 23 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Crystalwaters123
Mumbai, India483 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Solo
Ended up going to this museum on a rainy day.. The lines were long - however didn’t take much time to get in..
Like most London museums this is free - there is a recommended £5 donation.. The audio guide is £7..
The museum itself looks gorgeous - very modern.. It has a vast collection of artifacts ranging from varying times in history and has a collection spread across many countries.. I especially enjoyed the Indus Valley and the Chinese collections..
Written 27 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Natasha Smith
United Kingdom5 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
The British museum is very big. It has regular collections on display all the time and temporary displays which change every month or so. It has paid exhibitions and it used to show really good films on a friday evening for £3 etc in the lecture theatre but they seeemed to have stopped doing that recently which is ashame.
Written 2 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Paul James H
154 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2020 • Solo
Although the British Museum is free to enter, you still have to get a ticket; as social distancing limits the visitor numbers.

There is a large Egyptian area of the museum, taking you from the 4th millenium Bc, through the 3rd millenium Bc. There are interesting peices(doors), that depict Eqyptian life. Many statues to the various gods, and statues to pharoas; believed to be almost semi gods. I didn't realise that the depictions on the pharoa's tombs, were to represent what they want to have in the afterlife. Believing that the images would become real, these became quite detailed.

After this there's the early Greek, Minoans and Miceneans, and their culture, with musical instruments made out of bone. Next you have Greek vases and the Roman period, with bits of the Parthenon kept here (and abroad). There is also a complete recreation of the Parthenon, to give it some perspective. The statues are next, and then lead on to Assyria and the Balawat gates, and from there you have the modern African collection. It is important to note here, that knowledge about how the items were aquired, is given.

The African sulptures and arms, represent items that were for years excluded from museum collections. Their weapons of war and beliefs, contrast with those of the west. If you get a chance, there's a cystal skull from South America, just before this Collection. It is unknown whether it is genuine, or not. But it is in a glass case, and thought to hold some sort of energy/power.

You can easily stay all day here, but please note that it only opens Wednesday to Sunday.
A great day out, and if you still want some more information than the displays give you, you can use a QR reader (throughout the place). Alternatively go to the Google play store and download the British museum audio guide (for a fee ) from there.
Written 8 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ElleDLosAngeles
Los Angeles19 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Solo
Visiting from California, I took off without the family for a trip to this amazing Museum - not my first visit and definitely not my last I hope. While the line seems long, it moves relatively quickly and if you can manage without a backpack you’ll likely be shepherded I to separate and much quicker line that doesn’t require extensive search of belongings. This is an immense museum and any notion that you could do it in a day is impossible to accomplish. So recommend a little research before going and identifying the areas of prime interest - mine was Egyptology and Ancient Britain. I did get an audio
Your but be aware in peak they do run out for a while until returned. The descriptions on the items displayed are detailed and will probably inspire you to learn more once leaving. While I didn’t travel with the grandkids on this visit they have what seems to be a really good family activity visit, with things for the kids to look out for as you tour around. Architecturally it isn’t as gorgeous as the naturalhistory museum but the contents and exhibits more than make up for it. Really a spectacular place and worth the visit
Written 4 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Joyce
508 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020
The museum is open, but COVID-19 measures are in place. All guests will have to enter through the Great Russell Street entrance and exit through the Montague Place. Everyone's bags are checked. You will have to prebook a time to enter the museum - tickets are still free (there is an option to voluntarily donate!) but you will need to present your barcode to the front desk in order to go through to the exhibits. The coat and baggage areas are closed, so you'll be carrying everything with you around the museum. Most cafe and sit down ares are also closed, but there are still places in the museum you can get food and drink (near the entrance). Special exhibitions still require you to book and pay for a ticket. Everyone, unless exempted, must wear a mask at all times inside the museum. Many doors separating different galleries and museums have hand sanitisers.

All visitors are required to follow the arrows on the floor to walk through the museum. Unfortunately, many of the smaller galleries and rooms have been closed off for social distancing purposes, but the gems of the museum, the Ancient Egyptian and Greek galleries are still open for everyone to admire.

Social distancing measures are also being observed in the gift shops and in the bathrooms, so only a certain amount of people will be allowed in at any time.

While tourist numbers in London are down significantly, there were still surprisingly quite a few people coming into the museum late in the afternoon! I visited the museum 6 years ago and I found it fantastic; this time round my feelings have not changed.
Written 6 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Stuart C
Rayleigh, UK3,212 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Solo
While entrance to this fantastic museum is free the Troy - Myth and Reality is an extra £20 per adult. You can buy in advance although the day of my visits lost of time slots had availability so I just turned up and purchased my ticket in the main hall and then went straight in. The first and to me most interesting section talked about the myth with lots of mainly Roman artefacts telling the story of the siege of Troy. Many were from the museums own collection but included exhibits from Berlin, the Ashmoleam and other museums. It was all very well told in chronological order using the exhibits. The second section is the actual finds from the real Troy. While the discovery was explained there was little attempt at describing what the city was actually like and it’s place in the ancient World and it mainly consisted of pots and everyday objects. The final section is some of the artwork depicting Troy through the ages. I really enjoyed it particularly the first section on the legend but came away wishing they had explained the ancient city better.
Written 26 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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THE BRITISH MUSEUM (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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