Visiting the British Museum: A Must-See for History Enthusiasts

The museum building itself is quite magnificent and intimidating in a good way. There is undoubtedly a lot to see and 3 or 4hrs is not enough. However, I did gind it difficult to navigate and whilst the rooms were numbered I found it a bit chaotic and it spoiled my visit which I was really looking forward to..

The goods, bads and ugliesGoods:They have kept all these antiquities in pristine conditions. They deserve all the applause for that. It's a beautiful building and the amount of stuff they have , you need more than 4 hours to cover everything. The entry is free so yes, go visit here.Bads:One of the most sorted destinations in London. So be prepared by the sheer number of people here at any given time. The help desk ain't that helpful and so is the map. My suggestion is to go around and take your time. The signs r better.Uglies:Majority of the exhibits that I saw are taken out of their colonies without permission. India, middle East, Egypt, Australia, other African countries, south American countries. So, it does not give a good vibe to see all these antiquities still in the King's country. It's saddening. And the fact that they don't wanna give back these to their former colonies! Even more blood Boling.Overall, if you are not from GB, go there, and you may find a piece of your history in this museum. That you probably thought never existed. And then be happy that you were allowed to see your own history for free!

A very big and beautiful museum. There is so much information about so many different cultures to find, that you can fill an entire day just walking around.

Lovely day out you spend however long you want. InsideThe 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.

Unplanned Train strike this week meant our visit to the British Museum was off, we asked for a change by one day so we could attend and were met with a curt ‘no’. We had also booked visits to the V&A and Frameless who were very accommodating and allowed us to bring our trip forward a day. British Museum kept our money but lost us as future customers and also our friends who are British Museum members who will not be renewing in the future. We had booked a table at the restaurant so they lost that too. Brendon who sent the uninterested and ‘don’t care’ email needs training in customer care. We understand tickets being non transferable or not refundable but given a full train and tube strike we thought a more supportive response would have been better. I won’t visit the not so very ‘British’ museum ever again.

I spent nearly the entire day there and I still had to blitz through what I'd estimate was 70% of the museum. Would recommend dialing in on the must-sees (whether that be personal or the museum's recommended list).

The collection of historical artifacts from around the world was unlike anything I have seen before, and it was cool to have them all in one place. Highly recommend using the museum map to make sure you aren't stuck going in a circle. However, the atmosphere could be drastically improved. I agree with what others have said that there should be a capacity limit, or at least do it like the London Eye where there's limited advance booking and you're only allowed in at the time you book. Some areas were too loud so I had to wear noise cancelling earbuds to actually appreciate the artwork. Also, more than one bathroom area is needed.

I spent an entire afternoon at the British Museum. The queue to get in extended a long city block, but I was able to bypass the queue since I had a timed ticket to their special exhibition, "China's Hidden Century". Even though it was a paid exhibit, it was still very crowded, which made it challenging to get a close view of the exhibits and read the labels.This exhibit focused on the last six emperors of the Qing dynasty (1796-1912). There were many treasures on display including the imperial blue robe, ca. 1800, worn by the emperor, which depicts 12 imperial symbols. The cloisonné enamel vases on display were a gift from the last Qing emperor to King George V and Queen Mary to mark their coronation in 1911. The paintings of Madame Li and her husband, Lu Xifu, were inspired by photography. These framed hanging scrolls were made in 1896 and the couple's nephews recorded details of their lifetime achievements at the top. The scroll of Madame Li is the symbol of the exhibition and appears on all of the ads for the exhibition.It was a wonderful exhibit, but it would have been more enjoyable had there been fewer people allowed inside.

I don't think I need to say very much ...The Museum speaks for itself and there is just so much to see.You need to be clear about what you want to focus on though, or you will run out of time.And, of course, it's FREE

It doesn't get much better than this. If, like me you take your time when visiting museums/tour places, then you can spend a day in here, easy. It is one of the 'prides of Britain' & a must if you visit London. Wonderful.

A definite must-see when visiting London! It was almost overwhelming how much history was in this museum. So many amazing exhibits. My favorite was Ancient Egypt. I've never seen so many mummies up close. It did get pretty crowded so be prepared for that. We spent hours exploring the museum on our own and it still wasn't enough time. I recommend blocking off your entire day, especially if you like to read everything like we do. A guided tour would have been great as well since there was so much to see.

This is the best history museum you will visit.this is absolutely a must for anyone visiting london.Be early enough avoid the line

We took the “Out of Hours Tour: An Introduction to the British Museum.” Well worth the £30/pp. The guide, Margaret Friday, was excellent. Her in-depth knowledge was apparent. The overview included the history and formation of the BM through the move of the library and the addition of the glass dome in 1998 (!). Plus we went through key artifacts in the museum. Important - out of hours - wow, this place gets busy fast. We went on a Saturday morning. We learned while waiting for the tour to begin that there are other tours that focus on specific areas of interest, e.g. Egyptian, Chinese history. The brochure we picked up in the museum listed about 9-10 different specific-interest tours. Not sure we knew that ahead of time. The “money” tour would be interesting.

It´s definitely worth a visit, even if you are not too interested in history. Seeing something in reality is always better than virtual.

Although the museum was unbelievably busy we had a great visit seeing the Egyptian exhibits ready for the new school projects.

This used to be such a great museum ten years ago but a museum is more than just its current exhibition. We went to the China exhibition which was wonderful, informative and beautifully thought out but the rest of our experience was dire. The soulless,dirty cafe,where a submarine cheese and ham sandwich costs £11. The tables are uncleared,the staff indifferent and the space undefined. I believe Benugo run it,as they do so many in London. Also,please get your loos regularly cleaned. For a renowned museum your standards of cleanliness and value for money in the cafe are terrible.

Way exceeded my expectations. It was huge! We planned to spend about 2 hours there, but ended staying over 3. Much to see! My favorites were the Rosetta Stone and the antique clocks/watches.

Exploring The British Museum in London was an incredible journey through human history and culture. The vast collection of artifacts and artworks from around the world left me in awe. The museum’s architecture, especially the Great Court and its iconic glass roof, added to the grandeur of the experience. The audio guide was a valuable companion, providing insights into the museum’s treasures. From the Rosetta Stone to the Egyptian mummies, each exhibit was a testament to human achievement. The British Museum offers a captivating exploration of our shared heritage and is a must-visit for anyone interested in history and culture.

Good thing for our holiday period in London and we're wondering what we 🙈🙈 thank you for this nice place and nicely atmosphere

The sheer wealth of objects and history of this place is simply mind-blowing. There’s so much to see: Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Australia.. I can recommend to book a guided „around the world“ tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable, amazingly polite and she truly made our visit an unforgettable experience. I will certainly come back.

A great day lots of things to seeThe Elgin marbles was my hi light,a computer showing how the figures were coloured when in AthensAlso how swords, shields were fittedA large area well worth a visitA small donation on entryLots to see for all , infants may get board We were there 3hrs +

It's hard to comprehend just how much history is stored in this wonderful museum... and it's free (but donations are politely encouraged). There will always be crowds of visitors and the main attractions such as the Rosetta Stone will be packed, but there is just so much to see, particularly if you go without an agenda, I find something new everytime I visit. I like to wander aimlessly and see what catches my attention. I do then download the map and check that I've not missed anything I particularly wanted to see. Nearest tube is Russell Square (Piccadilly line), but I enjoy the 20-25 minute walk from King's Cross. Opens at 10am, just right for a leisurely start, and a gentle walk through Russell Square gardens taking in a coffee shop on the way.

Absolutely stunning history museum. Incredible collection of ancient artifacts. Would best be done as a full day excursion. Soooo much to see!

We clearly came in by the back door, there was no staff and no direction there at all. We waited at least 10 minutes for the North lift to come down to -1 and opted to go out by the front door to avoid all the same hassle. Very little guidance or directional flow through the entire place. Yes I scanned the QR code and downloaded a map but if you can read all that tiny detail on an iPhone then I take my hat off to you

I could only stay for a short while at the museum but wished I had all day to spend there. So much to see of interest. Beautiful building.

A great British institution. Always something new and interesting to see.I am a member and a regular visitor, so I get to avoid the queues and visit the member areas. The price is worth it for those facts alone, plus all contributions are welcome to keep this one of the best places to visit in London.

Visiting the British Museum in London in July was an enriching experience. The diverse range of exhibits, from ancient artifacts to modern art, offered a captivating journey through history and culture. The museum's impressive architecture and well-organized displays made the visit enjoyable, although the higher summer crowds did affect the overall experience. Despite the crowds, the British Museum remains a must-visit destination for anyone interested in world history and art.

The complete and utter lack of control of external tour groups made the visit completely unbearable. I counted (and filmed) seven tour groups yelling over each other in competition in one small space as one official tour given by a staff member was completely drowned out. Completely unacceptable working conditions for museum staff members. These same large unofficial tour groups allowed their group members to do whatever they liked (including climb onto of statues) because they don’t want to risk their tips and frankly don’t care about the locations they visit. It was lawless, as there was complete disregard of any other visitor as they barrelled passed and raised their voices over other tour groups and did whatever they liked. No tour groups should be permitted access and only official museum tours should be permitted in line with majority of tourist attractions in Britain. I stayed for a couple of hours and found sections such as the Islamic art much better as the large groups avoided them. In these isolated areas you could enjoy the collections. Where you could find peace and quiet it is a brilliant and varied collection. A bit dated in places but with some TLC it could be improved upon. However I would not recommend this attraction until they ban external tour groups and tour leaders. It’s frankly ridiculous and the museum staff have my sympathies having to work in those conditions; putting up that that level of noise and disrespect.

I enjoyed going there. It has a lot of items from different times and cultures (Chinese, Egyptian and more) . The store is also recommended . The entrance is free, the line was not long.

The British Museum is one of the things you must see if you are in London.The sheer scope and variety of artifacts is mind boggling.My husband and I spent three hours and that only covered a portion of areas.Things to keep in mind are that the lines for the ladies restrooms are extremely long and the museum is very crowded which is unfortunate but to be expected.There is no a.c so with that many people it was pretty toasty even in a building of that size.We had booked a specific time but no one checked ticket times.

We trundled along in our queue alongside the ticket-holders’ queue. I understand it’s free for everyone with the only difference that the ticket-holders had booked in advance. As we finally approached the tent for handbag checks a cord was put up across our queue to stop us proceeding, apparently because we peasants were in the “free queue” and we had “to wait for the ticket holders’ queue to go through first”. 🙄To be fair, after 5 mins when I called the attendant over and explained one of our party was disabled he did usher us through. It just felt a bit ‘second class citizenship-ish’. The museum is amazing, as you would expect. As with everywhere like this, the queue for the women’s loos was long while the guys were in and out in less than a minute. Really needs sorting! It’s great that it’s free and so well-maintained.

This is a huge place and you need to get here early in order to have a decent visit there are always many groups here from all over the world who have already prebooked. There is a good shop across the road which sells souvenirs where you can leave your baggage for a small price, I paid 8 pounds and you can leave it there until 6 PM on that day it's best to leave your luggage there as you cannot take it into the British museum any longer. There are huge rooms upon rooms and floors upon floors with many different world culture that are artifacts on display despite the ones that have gone missing recently and have been in the news. This place has so much that it does not even keep know what's gone missing. The Japanese artifacts on one of the top floors are always fantastic to see as are all the sculptures the wonderful glass ceiling with its design is always a tourist attraction in itself. The merchandise here is very expensive so I would suggest you pick 1 or 2 things that you like and buy just those otherwise there are many cafes and smaller restaurants within the museum where you can get something to eat but the feeding is quite spouse and the place is so busy that it's hard to get a table. You can easily spend the whole day here.

The time stamp on the ticket means nothing. No one checks the tickets. Huge line to get in at the front entrance. Did they sell so many tickets for the same time or did people figure out that no one checks the time? If you go around the building to the back entrance, no line there, you can walk right in. Inside was as crowded as the outside. People pushing each other, tons of tired crying children throwing fits. It was difficult to enjoy this beautiful museum in such atmosphere.

To be honest, it’s a museum. Not sure how to review it properly. There’s a lot of items in it— I saw maybe half of the entire place but that’s only cause I got lost the majority of the time that I was there.

Don't be fooled into getting a booking time to help the venue control numbers.... Booked and printed tickets, not checked once.Don't go to the 300 metres queue on Gt Russell St, go round to Montague Place and pretty much walk straight in.Far far too busy to enjoy the exhibits due to overcrowding. Extremely annoying getting pushed and shoved by someone simply wanting a photo. Took away most of the reason for the visit, to learn about stuff.Didn't actually see much in there that was actually British!!!A 20th Century Korean teahouse should probably be in a teahouse museum. Wouldn't be going back there in a long time

World class and the breath of the collections is unparalleled. Worth the price of traveling to London by itself. Just avoid school holidays.

If you go to London with children you can't miss the British museum, it's amazing to see so many vestiges of all the great civilisations concentrated in one place

How can you NOT go here! It's got a little bit of everything. The Rosetta Stone, an Easter Island statute, coins dating longer back to you can guess. It's terribly impressive. It is, however, extremely crowded. The lines for restrooms (for men) FLY by, but the lines for restrooms for women are at a snail's pace. Mind that.

One of the biggest museums I've visited in my life and I must say it's really big. Full of objects and information about the Egyptian civilization. I must say that anyone who doesn't master the theme or doesn't like it will end up finding it boring (my case). The best, for me, was the gift shop. The most time consuming process was security, since tickets were purchased online

My partner and I were really looking forward to the museum and it was SO BUSY. We couldn’t even stop to read plaques without running into people. Also there were two bathrooms in the whole building and both had a 40 minute plus line so I ended up leaving earlier than planned just to go to the bathroom.

Great exhibits and queues moved quickly, seating was sparse. The gift shop manager(?) (blonde-ish man in purple shirt) overcharged us for a small unframed painting 'print', charged us £9.99 instead of £4.99, and when we asked him about it, instead of fixing the mistake he gaslit us into thinking that we'd somehow picked out the only higher quality one in the entire shop. Every display with these prints showed £4.99. He tried to convince us that another costumer had put a more expensive one on the rack of cheaper ones. However he failed to show us a single display that had these prints for sale for £9.99. Today we checked the museum website and found that there are two different quality prints however the higher quality one wasn't £9.99. It is very clear that we were overcharged and he was too stubborn to admit that he was wrong, and opted to argue with a costumer and leave his till which had a very long queue. Truly a horrible person I hope never to have the displeasure of meeting again. Terrible end to an otherwise wonderful day.

This place needs more organization, I get that entry is free, but they need a little more regulation with how many people can enter. The building jam packed with people.We went mainly to see the Egypt section, but due to the number of people, we didn't see everything we wanted, and I thought there would be more mummies on display, maybe it depends on the time of year. Just be advised for those sensitive the warmer temperatures the build doesn't seem to have A/C so some exhibits can get extremely hot depending on how many people are in it

This is a must-visit London destination! Even if you only have a small amount of time it is well worth the visit. Admission is free!

I have to say our visit to this museum may have been our greatest travel disappointment ever. Unfortunately for us ( and all other visitors that day in May, 2023), the museum chose to close THREE major areas on the same day. We were unable to access the Egyptian mummies, the entire Assyrian section, and major exhibits in the Greece section. This is absolutely, completely unacceptable. I understand the need to close sections for maintenance and cleaning. But 3 major sections on the same day? Unforgivable. Unfortunately, we may never get back to old London Town, but if we do, we won’t waste our time here. I strongly suggest you call ahead before you go to avoid the unforgettable disappointment we experienced. Good luck…..

Booked in advance and paid but still had to join long queue so don’t bother booking. Decent museum but too crowded and internal signs poor. Worth a visit though.

The website states you need to buy a ticket and come at your allocated time slot as to not over crowd the museum...There is no one to check tickets...so you can walk right in (wasted money there) The place is over crowded so you're finding yourself pushed up against walls and monuments.Tour guides being groups push and shove you out of the way...100% avoid this place

This is the most poorly organised museum I have ever been to. It really could be so much better.We arrived with a timed ticket. The queue was all the way down the road. We had no idea if the queue was for timed tickets or all other visitors.It turned out the queue was for everyone and there's no point booking a timed ticket as everyone goes in together. The bag searches were far too limited.When we got into the main entrance it was totally overwhelming. There were so many people packed in. I felt claustrophobic. It was dangerously busy.There needs to be a one way system to avoid the pushing and shoving. It was scary for the children at times and the amount of people in some areas was frightening.The museum and artifacts are fascinating but the experience could be so much better.

If Egyptian artifacts interest you, this is a great place to see them. They also have a lot of Greek and Roman sculpture as well. We managed to see what we wanted in just half a day.

I visited the “missions” for kids on the museum’s web page and they were great fun. I was there with a 7 and a 9 year old and it was a great way to have them discover the museum and learn about history. We visited the Egypt and Ancient Rome sections of the museum, they were amazing!

While constantly thinking that much of this collection should be repatriated to home countries, I was very happy that such a comprehensive collection of art, decor, jewelry, and more, spanning from the beginning of human civilization and across the globe. We only spent one day, and it got VERY crowded fairly quickly. We did not buy the audio tour, and were OK with the good descriptions throughout. We did think that a guided tour may be quite worth the price.

Once again just like the Natural history museum we visited last week...LACK OF SECURITY! A guy on entrance in a mobile porta cabin asked us if we had anything sharp in our rucksack! That's it! Yes of course I'll show you my sharp knife or weapon I could use! NO POLICE ANYWHERE IN THE WHOLE AREA TODAY EITHER!

Great! But you must give it minimum half a day! I had 3 h and didn't even see a half of the museum... I hope I will come back and see the rest someday!

Try to figure out in advance what you want to see. There is so much, that it takes many, many visits to take it all in. If you have a chance, take a guided tour of what interests you.Seeing how much and what the British have "acquired" made me better understand the discussion about returning precious artefacts to the original countries.

What an absolute disgrace, farce and disappointment. What is the actual point of booking tickets to ensure a controlled flow of footfall through the museum when, in actual fact, it was a free for all. Tickets not checked. Museum packed so much that seeing an exhibit was impossible but much worse than this is that it was a health and safety nightmare. Spent 15 minutes in there unable to move. There’s no organisation management.

This website will not allow cancellation although it lists this as an optionI am forced to contact my credit card to avoid automatic payment Also unable to successfully navigate TripAdvisor appStrongly recommend not to book your this way

Free museum thats worth a visit. It gets very crowded if you go on weekends (not sure if this is the same during weekdays . There is no air con so it also can get really warm. We didnt eat from here so cannot comment on price or food.We paid £2 or £4 to store jackets so dont take anything heavy with you.

Sadly disappointed by the visit. The experience started off well enough. The building itself was a marvel to see. We were incredibly excited at the start of our visit but that quickly turned to discomfort, annoying and frustrated. We left after about an hour and definitely missed many of the exhibits. The ones we did see we just rushed through. It was just not possible to enjoy with the large clouds pushing and shoving try to get through. Nothing enjoyable about the experience. We needed to step out for a bit just to catch our breathe after a 20 minute break we attempted to maneuver our way to the rosetta stone but just quickly gave up and left.I would give a lower score but in all fairness it's free and they do have an incredible collection if you can tolerate the experience.

We visited during the school holidays and as expected it was super busy. We didn’t allow enough time to cover the whole museum but the parts that we did see were impressive. The guide was great for identifying the ‘must see’ items.I’d like to return without the children and on a quieter day to ensure I get the most out of a visit, I’m sure I could lose a whole day here. I was surprised to see a coffee/food outlet at almost every turn, I’m sure there’s a need but it does sort of dilute the wonder of the museum to see so many coffee stands and queues for refreshments.

Since becoming Members, we've visited more frequently. The current exhibition on Persia & Greece has exquisite artefacts and is sympathetically displayed. The UK is privileged to have such a resource in its capital. As it was a weekend, the Museum, not unexpectedly, was packed out. More effort has been given to using the Great Court area for refreshments - to great effect. The food is expensive but the £10 'Meal Deal' is pitched about right.

Incredible and so much to see. One day isn't enough!Reserve your free timed tickets in advance (nobody ever checked) and wear comfortable shoes.My only reservations are that the place is absolutely mobbed, and that there are not many washrooms (only on certain floors and very long lines).Something for all ages!

Not our cup of tea but I can see why it’s popular with those with an interest in ancient artefacts. It was really busy, really hot, way too hot!!! We saw a mum and daughter asleep on a bench - most probably due to the heat!!!

I was amused that as soon as I entered a young lady asked me for a donation. The amusement was due to the fact that after being reduced to utter penury on being colonised for over a century, we now need to donate to take care of what was once ours. A fantastic museum. Must see.

Great museum, but it was way too busy to be enjoyable. I wish they would restrict the number of people they let in. At times it felt that I wasn‘t moving on my own, but was pushed along by the steady stream of people .

Some of artefacts within the museum are amazing, and our visit was 2 hours long, if you want to learn as much as possible then you would need to allow more time.The issue is the crowds, just too many people. A few people were disappointed as they had booked a time but had to line up with everyone else until they got in the gate, where they had another line until the check area where we all came together again, so really a complete waste of time booking.Inside it’s difficult to stand back to admire the artefacts because of the amount of people. Its a pity the numbers are not capped. Basically we were glad to leave because of this.

Visited 24th of july. The crowds here were no joke. The Rosette's Stone and the Eqyptian section is the death zone. The exhibitions were impressive and vast, but less from what the Natural History Museum and V&A Museum had to offer. Would recommend for someone interested in history and archeology.

Great Museum for seeing lots of history, in Greece and Egypt and Britain.In Great Russell Street London.There is a queue to get in but if you book a time slot online it's easier and then join the queue at that time. It's free entry but you can can leave a donation when booking of £5 or £10 or anything like this. The museum is very large and has a new roof since we last visited and it is beautiful so airy and great architecture, so lovely to look at. We saw the Elgin marbles now called the Pantheon Sculptures and also the Rosetta Stone amongst other things. All the old British coinage and bank notes. The shops are great, large bookshop in the middle and lots of smaller gift shops around the museum selling memorabilia like keyrings, pens and pencils and replicas of sculptures. We had afternoon tea in the restaurant which we had booked beforehand, it was lovely it is upstairs at the back of the museum near the amazing roof. The staff are friendly and helpful, the tea was very reasonably priced and the cakes, scones and sandwiches were so tasty and plenty of them, the tea was great also you could have different types and we had champagne too. The atmosphere was amazing and to be sitting in all that history was a bonus. Would definitely recommend it to anyone and would definitely go again.

It's vital you have a plan of the key things you want to see; this way you can sort out locations and make the most of the time you have.The museum is massive, there is no way you can just wander around and hope to find things at random.Well laid out, well explained. Huge collection covers every area of interest.Decent cafe.(Entry is free, only buy tickets if you want a guide to take you around)

On visiting the website prior to visiting, it suggested we needed to book tickets and we did, however on arriving the tickets were not checked at all, so I am not sure if this is still necessary. Tickets to special exhibitions are definitely needed, but I felt pricey. Lots to see in the museum and something for everyone. There were some collections that didn’t interest me, but others that I thought were very interesting. I especially like the watches and clocks. There is a lovely Japanese restaurant nearby, called Cocoro and I would recommend eating here if visiting the museum as it is only a few minutes walk away.

A really impressive museum - well laid out, absolutely full of artefacts, everything is very well explained, and efficiently organised. The museum is free, although booking is advised (just so they can smooth numbers throughout the day I think). Well worth a visit if you are in London.

Its free but booking a time slot at busy times might give you quicker entry. It was quiet when I went and other than a bag check I was in within five minutes. The size of the collections is immense and you start by wondering where to start top to bottom right to left, then you enter each section and either walk around and on to the next or walk left to right, then do you go from the furthest time to the present. It's all choice and looking at each exhibit and taking a small part in will take a minimum of two hours. It's more of a collection of artefacts picked up from when Britain had an empire when collectors and archaeologists could dig or pick up and bring back almost anything they liked. You do wonder after a while ''How did they take so much from the poorer less developed areas of the World '' and could it be done today? The ''British'' part is interesting and the story can be seen in many regional British Museums. The Museum is dominated by the earliest cultures that our own western ones would have developed from such as early Egyptian, Roman & Greek civilisations. I can't see a part of the planet that hasn't been covered. You cannot fail to learn something from a visit and if you wanted to go in-depth into an era then you will need plenty of hours planned and possibly day's to do it justice. If you're local to London then as it's free and Public transport frequent then you could go whenever. Its heavy on the feet if you intend seeing the lot and keeping kids interested might be a challenge, the Mummies might fascinate or scare them. it's warm inside due to the glass roof but it's cooler in some rooms that have large fans to stand by.Gift shop is too full of irrelevant items that can be bought anywhere and have nothing to do with the museum there's a few London gifts like Taxis and Bus models.I'd prefer more Museum specific based gifts .Cafe's looked and expensive £3 for tea, with not more choice than a Train Station Newsagent would sell, Crisps and pre-packed Sandwiches it wasn't busy but was short staffed the queues added price were slow enough to avoid.

Like many London museums you have to book a time slot on a particular day. They didn’t have tickets on our preferred day and we set out really early on our confirmed day so we weren’t late, fearing being turned away. What a surprise we weren’t asked to show our prebooked tickets at any stage and we definitely didn’t sneak in. As for the museum, in light they are not doing tours at the moment, would recommend buying a guide book if you want to take full advantage of your visit. We didn’t, and although we spent a couple of hours there and saw lots of lovely interesting pieces, suspect we missed some must see artefacts. The other observation is that there is little British history at this museum, and probably explains why there were a significant number of Far East and Middle East/North Africa visitors on the day we visited, albeit I wondered how with the Covid restrictions they were here in significant numbers

We came to see the Thomas Becket exhibition as we're both hugely interested in Medieval history..Less than an hour later we emerged feeling very underwhelmed, although there are some nice items on display the exhibition is far too short and the accompanying book way overpriced, oh and forget social distancing as soon as you get in.The exterior gates aren't open until 10am, so we were kept waiting as the queue grew, instead of starting at the security point, would have less impact on our booking time that way.I love the British Museum but this offering sadly didn't live up to the hype or expectations, the Magna Carta exhibition at the British Library was much better value.

The British Museum – It would take a book to cover the essentials to see in Britain’s most venerated museum. It has treasures from around the world, many from the colonial period when British explorers and agents found great examples from around the world and brought them to London. Little wonder that many countries want these treasures returned home! Must see – the Rosetta Stone, the Egyptian mummies, ancient Greek and Roman and middle eastern treasures, the Chinese, Indian and Japanese exhibits, and other equally interesting finds. The only other museum I know of that could compare competitively with the British Museum is the Smithsonian Museums (actually 20 separate museums and the National Zoo). Easily three hours to see some of the main points. And realistically one could spend a week lost in the British Museum. It is worthwhile to schedule your trip to London in the off season to see the British Museum. We visited in late Fall 2019 and it was not crowded, but the reputation is for long lines and jumping up and down to see things if you are behind other people. Admission – free.

My wife and I had been looking at. Museums to visit during our three days in London. I booked online which was easy and straight forward, it is free but we did make a donation. Don't worry because there are plenty of places to make donations at the museum. We showed up on time flashed our passes and jumped the queue, which I have to say was really great. The museum is amazing and the pieces of history there are simply breathtaking. It was busy there and everyone was wearing a mask, some people would adhere to social distancing and others would not. There is a little cafe area half way through to purchase hot drinks and a little bite to eat. It is aroubd £3.00 for a cup of tea and more for a coffee.. Baguettes were priced £5 and over. Allow yourself a minimum of two hours to walk around.

This museum was the largest I have ever been to, I got lost a couple times. ;pThere were also a lot of exhibits to check out! It was great to check out all the exhibits and learn a bit about London's history. There is a fee for audio guides and for the featured exhibit. When I went to this museum, it very crowded and there is also no map provided but the place does have free wifi, so perhaps it was provided online?Otherwise, I had a good time.

You could spend a lifetime here and never fully appreciate all the treasures. Plan on at least half a day (minimum) to see the highlights. If you are traveling with children, you can check your coats/bags free of charge in the family cloakroom. We also used the object-based tours available on their website - as a type of scavenger hunt through the museum.

The British museum is truly amazing. You could honestly spend hours wandering all the halls and marvelling at the incredible collection. However, with teens, we decided to just go to the “must see” items listed on the map and spend about 2 hours inside the museum. Everyone in the family really enjoyed it and it was an excellent experience. I would thoroughly recommend, especially since it’s free!!!

The British Museum is a gem of history. Don't be daunted by the line to get into the museum. I almost vaulted but I stayed the course. Who know when I will be back in London? The line moved along quickly. The museum is free but there are many stations situated for you to donate £5. Wear comfortable shoes there is a lot of standing and walking. So much to see and do!

I became a "Friend" of the British Museum so that I could get access to special exhibits at either the start or the end of an Exhibition. Due to ill-health we can't plan a date & timeslot in advance, it's much more convenient to just decide "on the day" to go.This occasion I was going to see the "Troy Myth & Reality" before it closed. Went on a weekday at around 11am, and whilst there were no queues outside for security, I found the exhibition itself surprisingly crowded by oldies like us - maybe everyone had the same idea. Interesting, but not quite what I was expecting - more myth than reality.The usual browse around the gift shop gave us some ideas for grandchildren.

It takes about 10 minutes in line to get checked, and it’s always crowded. It’s annoying to have to pay 2 pounds for a map. Clearly it has amazing exhibitions but download a map prior and focus on a few exhibits to get the most as it could take days.

Zig zag queuing barriers put out prematurely when no queues evident.Walking 20 times further to the entrance than necessary is unwelcome when you already walk so much in London. Free entry, but after obligatory bag search there is a bank of manned donation desks where there is an unwelcome 'hard sell' to donate. I would have anyway, but felt pressurised to do so before i'd even entered the museum. Anyway, rant over, once inside, this is clearly a place that warrants multiple visits if you can. Its huge, and just so much to see, although we found some of the artefacts lit so that there was too much reflection on the glass cabinets, making it tricky to read the descriptions and history of the item. Bigger print would be beneficial. As there is soooo much to see, i'd recommend checking out the website prior to visiting and selecting what areas of exhibits particularly interest you and concentrate on those floors. All in all, its not just one of London's GREATEST attractions, it's a World Class attraction.

So your website tells me that today I could have seen a free exhibition of prints and lucky me it’s Friday so the museum is open till 8.30 pm. After making my way through completely over complicated and unnecessary amounts of zigzagging Disneyland style queuing barriers, I arrive inside and head for said exhibition. It’s 5.40 pm and the doors are locked shut at Room 90. Countless other people are ascending the stairs to said room. But no. Locked. Signage? No. Barrier? No. Log in for your free WiFi to check your website because obviously I’ve missed something. No. Staff member? No. Descend to Room 24 where two staff members are having a laugh. I mean literally. Ask them if the exhibition closes at an earlier time. Well they’re not sure but sometimes it closes early for ‘operational reasons ‘ (this exhibition opened yesterday...what you mean is you don’t have the staff - could be a Brexit issue? Just sayin’.....)and perhaps I could ring to check first. Sorry, what? But it will be open tomorrow. Yes that’s great as I don’t live in London and had made a special journey based on your website information. Oh well, better make the most of....the rather uncomfortable feeling I got walking round the extraordinary exhibits which, and I quote a guide I passed, are British because they were paid for by British people. Casts a new light on the formerly named Elgin marbles, doesn’t it now? No, I’m not finished yet. I just need to mention the ladies loos downstairs under the Great Court. Sorry, but what person designed soap dispensers so far from the edge of the hand basin that you need to practically mount said hand basin to reach them? There, I’m done now. Thanks for all that.

You can come in this amazing place for free, but if you can afford to donate, please do. It's worth it to keep this place going. You can work your way through relics from ancient lands and civilisations,and both the ornate beautiful stuff and the day to day stuff are fascinating. Seeing something up close from the dawn of civilization is inspiring and leaves you wondering'how' on many occasions. You need more than one visit to do it justice though. Fabulous place.

Its one of the largest and most interesting museum in the world. There are exhibits of ancient cultures from across the world and endless amounts of treasures. I recommend spending the entire day here, but even if you had a month you couldn't explore everything here. When I went to this place, they had a manga and anime exhibit which was super awesome because you can see the works of famous authors. Honestly can't recommend this place enough, its a must visit if you visit London.

We visited Troy in Turkey in 2018 and also went to the museums in Athens and Istanbul, where many of the artefacts are held. The exhibition at the British Museum Troy: Myth and Reality was a huge let down and made even more disappointing by having to pay £20 each to see the exhibition. We went on Sunday 26th January and it was very crowded and nearly impossible to look at the exhibits without someone pushing in front of you (not the BM’s fault, though they could restrict number) but the layout of the exhibition didn’t help with circulation. In comparison to what we saw in Athens and Istanbul it was very disappointing and certainly not worth the cost of entry!

My travel guide said the side entrance would be shorter but it was closed so had no choice but to use the front. Arrived just after 10am when it opened on a Wednesday. Very short queue to get in through security which is outside the museum. As I had no bag was waved through which helped. There were a number of school parties and coaches arriving so glad I came early.The museum is so large and varied that it is not possible to see everything in one visit.I wanted to see The Rosetta Stone which unfortunately was one of the first exhibits and although there was no real queue to get in the museum there were a large number of people in front of the exhibit taking photos and in the end I gave up trying to get to the front. Would have been better if it had been further in the museum so crowds would have spread out. My next exhibit I wanted to see was The Elgin Marbles which were in a room at the back of the ground floor and when I got there the room was nearly empty...making my point about the siting of the previous exhibit.I also wanted to see exhibits on the first floor which again didn’t have big crowds as it was still early. Had a coffee downstairs before I left.Next time I am in London I will visit again to see other things. The museum is free although donations are appreciated

One of the best and most complete museums in the world. They have the original Rosetta Stone, real mummies and original artwork from some of the best artists in the world. Truly incredible museum. It's very big and will probably take several hours to explore and depending how thorough you like to be, you might need to come back for a second day to complete your visit. Adults and children of different ages will enjoy this awesome museum.

This was my second time at the British Museum, and I intend to go back this week since the special exhibitions are cheaper during the week.The collection is so vast, it’s impossible to see and absorb it all. Last time I had been visiting with three young children so we only did Egyptian statues and Mummies. This time I was also able to see the Library celebrating the Age of Enlightenment with all the curiosities collected. Later will return to see the special exhibit on Troy.I highly recommend a visit here every time you are in London.

I visited on a Sunday afternoon around 2 pm in January. The museum did not close until 5:30pm. It was great that I could walk around the museum without huge crowds. I was able to go to every exhibit and look at it without crowds. Although the museum entry is free I did pay £6 for the audio guide. I thought this guide was excellent. Not only was it informative about the exhibits but it also helped me to find my way around the museum from room to room and level to level. It has a number of cafés offering cream teas and also a restaurant.

First of all - I love that all museums in London are free! There are so many exhibits here you need lots of time. We had 2.5 hours and it wasn't anywhere near enough, and we aren't huge museum buffs.It was really warm inside so if you're coming in cooler months, layer up so you can take some layers off inside.Overall well worth a visit!!

I have been going to the BM for decades as I love the permanent collections, the exhibitions, the cafes and the shops. It is really a nightmare these days. The glass ceiling looks spectacular but it makes the Great Court very stuffy. It is always insanely crowded and of course many people are just there to take pictures of themselves and the exhibits. If you don't get there at opening time, ie 10am, you are going g to be shuffling round very very slowly. The BM is very much a victim of its own success and if I was in London as a tourist I would go to one of the South Kensington museums, or the Wallace collection or somewhere less iconic.

I would highly recommend a visit to The British Museum it has an extensive range of exhibits from all around the world. Descriptions and information are clear and informative. Picking up map is a must so that you don’t miss out on anything! There is more than history too there are art exhibits and extra installations which change periodically. You may need a full day or more!

The British Museum is a must-go in London. With huge collections of invaluable pieces from around the world, you will certainly find something that interests you. When I got there, the audio guides have all been sold out. But I figured I could get the audio guide from visitors who had just finished visiting (with luck). I followed the “top 10” tour of the audio guide, which are all amazing pieces recommended by the curators. This one-hour tour was about enough for me. If you’re into museums, you can definitely spend a day or two here.

I always love visiting the ancient Egyptian room. The British museum is always worth It for that alone ..but a big disappointment that there is a Huge stone Horus statue now gone missing from the excellent display . It's probably too priceless & needs to be kept away from a worshipping public that want to touch it rather than just look. But I really wish they would bring it back .. even under glass. I miss the god Horus a lot & nobody could tell me when or if it will return

It took me twenty minutes to get into the British Museum yesterday. There was a long queue and only one security guard on my side checking bags, who didn't even grunt when I handed him my rucksack. I wondered why there was a woman beside him doing nothing, and another four at the top, also not checking bags. It was only when I was asked to go to counter 2 that they asked me for a donation. Given that I'd spent 20 minutes in the cold, waiting to have my bag searched, by a woefully under-resourced, and rude, security guard, I didn't feel like contributing. If they'd also been checking bags, my waiting time would have been substantially less. It gives a very bad impression of what is one of the best museums in the world. I live in London and come often. My friend was inside with my ticket for the Troy exhibition and I was always buy food and a drink when I visit. I support the British Museum, and have never objected to doing so until yesterday. I think that you have to review your security procedures.