The British Museum is one of the most visited museums in the world, and one of the oldest — founded in 1753. Its collection of eight million objects spans two million years of human history, from the Sutton Hoo helmet to the Rosetta Stone to the Elgin Marbles. You cannot see it all. You shouldn’t try.
The Great Court
The Great Court, designed by Norman Foster and opened in 2000, is Europe’s largest covered public square. The glass roof — 3,000 unique glass panels — transformed what had been a storage area into the museum’s social heart. The Reading Room at its centre is now an exhibition space.
Don’t Miss
The Sutton Hoo helmet (Room 41), the Lewis Chessmen (Room 40), the Lindow Man (Room 50), and the Egyptian mummies (Rooms 62–63). The Assyrian Lion Hunt reliefs in Room 10 are perhaps the most affecting pieces in the entire museum.
Getting the Most From a Visit
The museum is vast — don’t try to see it in chronological order. Choose a civilisation or a theme and follow that. Free eye-opener tours leave from the Great Court several times daily. The London museum scene rewards repeat visitors — come back for different galleries each time.
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