Visit the British Museum with its 5,000 Years of History

If you want to visit more than 5,000 years of history in a single enclosure, you must go to the British Museum. To visit the British Museum you must go to Russel Street near the Tottenham Court Road tube station and you should know that this museum houses one of the largest collections of archaeological elements in the world.

Within its walls, a history buff could get lost for hours or even days, carefully observing each of the objects that are part of its collection.

It’s a very large museum, so we recommend you take this guided tour of the British Museum.

The British Museum Collection

The institution of the British Museum as such was founded in 1759. Originally it was made up mostly of old manuscripts but over time it was decided to acquire all kinds of old pieces.

Mummies, armor, pieces of walls or statues gradually added to the collection until it became one of the largest collections of historical objects in the world, with pieces from all corners of the planet.

Among the most remarkable objects are the Rosetta stone, without which it would not have been possible to translate most of the symbols of ancient Egypt.

Also noteworthy is the bust of Pericles, parts of the frieze of the Parthenon in Athens or its extensive collection of Egyptian mummies.

It should also be mentioned that for many, it is a large collection of stolen art, as they blame the old British Empire for having appropriated these objects of such historical value where they ruled.

That is why every so often a foreign government appears claiming pieces that they consider “their property”.

The building that houses the British Museum

The neoclassical building was built in 1857 after the previous headquarters, the Montagu Mansion, which stood in the same place, had become too small.

Its main façade is worthy of admiration. In the year 2000, a reform was undertaken, providing the interior patio with a roof, creating a large square under a glass plate roof.

At its center is the dazzling Reading Room of the British Museum. The square is named after the Gran Atrio de Isabel II.

Practical information for visiting the British Museum

• How to get
  • Underground, Tottenham Court Road, Holborn, Russell Square, Goodge Street stations.
  • Buses, lines 1, 7, 8, 10, 14, 19, 24, 25, 29, 38, 55, 59, 68, 73, 91, 98, 134, 168, 188, 242 and 390.
• Schedules
  • Saturday to Thursday, 10am-5:30pm.
  • Friday, 10am-8:30pm.
• Admission is free.
• You can find more information on the official website of the British Museum.