British Museum, London Free

Founded in 1753, the British Museum in Bloomsbury has a collection covering two million years of history.

Showcasing human knowledge in all forms, it was the world’s first public museum of its kind and attracts more than six million visitors each year.

What is in the British Museum?

Find cultural treasures, both ancient and modern, all under one roof. Highlights of the British Museum’s collection include Egyptian mummies and the Parthenon Sculptures.

Travel from ancient Greece and Egypt, to Africa and China, or from Roman Britain to medieval Europe in more than 60 free galleries centred around the magnificent Great Court.

Alongside the vast permanent collection, there are regular British Museum exhibitions focused on people, places, stories from the past and key themes for the present and future. Keep an eye out for exciting events based on the exhibitions.

What is the most famous item in the British Museum?

One of the most famous artefacts in the world, and the most visited item in the British Museum, is the Rosetta Stone. 

The stone, once part of a much larger slab called stelae, has a message carved into it in three types of writing which allowed experts to learn how to read hieroglyphs. Thus, opening up a trove of knowledge and a deeper understanding of the ancient Egyptian civilisation.

Other famous items in the museum include the spectacular Sophilos Vase from ancient Greece, the Roman sculpture Crouching Venus, the brass head of an Ooni (king) of Ife and the bust of Ramesses the Great. 

Is the British Museum free?

The British Museum is free to enter and includes access to its permanent galleries. Special exhibitions usually require a fee. Although this attraction is free to visit, you must book a timed entry ticket in advance to guarantee entry – some walk-up tickets are available each day, but entry is not guaranteed.

How to book tickets to the British Museum?

Although the British Museum is free to enter you must book a timed entry ticket in advance to guarantee entry. Paid-for British Museum tickets are usually also required for key exhibitions.

How long to spend at the British Museum?

With so much to discover, you could spend a week walking around the British Museum and not see it all!

Book a two-hour guided British Museum tour to see the highlights and to learn more about the exhibits.

Make a day of it by stopping off at some of the cafes and restaurants at the British Museum, including afternoon tea at the Great Court Restaurant.

You can also pick up gifts, books and more at the ground floor Great Court Shop and Collections Shop.

Where is the British Museum?

The British Museum is in Bloomsbury, in central London. It’s a short walk from Covent Garden, Fitzrovia and Euston.

How to get to the British Museum?

The British Museum is handily located close to four London Tube stations, with Holborn, Tottenham Court Road, Russell Square and Goodge Street all within eight minutes’ walk.

Various bus routes also run close to the museum, with route 14 stopping directly outside.

There are Santander Cycles docking stations within two minutes’ walk of the museum, on the corner of Great Russell Street and Montague Street. If you’re using your own bike, make use of the cycle racks at the main entrance.

What are the British Museum's opening times?

The British Museum is open daily, from 10am to 5pm.