The British Museum
Great Russell Street
London
WC1B 3DG
uk
51.518315983996
-0.12774483964967
020 7636 1555
The British Museum
Great Russell Street
Bloomsbury
London, WC1B 3DG
Nearest Transport: Tottenham Court Road
020 7636 1555
The British Museum stretches over 14 acres and has over 90 rooms, some with permanent exhibits including the Egyptian mummies as well as coins and medals dating from the Roman period. The museum also has a range of prints and drawings from Botticelli to Bonnard. In the later part of 2000 the museum underwent various significant changes. A whole new wing has been added, with many more exhibits and with the museum still being free of charge millions of people come and marvel.
Reviews for The British Museum
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4
The British Museum
Great Russell Street
London
WC1B 3DG
uk
6th May 2007
I didn't enter through the main entrance (i was being stubborn i guess) but went through a side door and went into the islamic section which was full of beautiful pieces. Didn't find those marbles either but found the mummies in between all the little kiddies. It was mind boggling seeing them in the glass cases even for a girl my age! I walked around a few other rooms and found a room with sketches on london from the Elizabethan times which i loved.
There is a huge amount to see so pace yourself. Oh and remember that there are famous things about the British museum, before you enter so you dont miss them like i did!
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5
The British Museum
Great Russell Street
London
WC1B 3DG
uk
23rd April 2007
British Museum - possibly my favourite building in London
The British Museum courtyard is one of the most stunning architectural settings in London and is possibly my favourite. The Richard Rogers glass domed roof combined with the classical courtyard is both dreamy and futuristic. This is a place I drag friends from out of town to as a top London site...
All the bits and bobs that the British have collected and pinched over the eons also make for a fascinating browse around. There are some stunning archeological pieces here and if you havn't seen them then you should.
I have a few Greek friends who berate me about the antics of Lord Elgin and Those Marbles...maybe best not to take them into that room. Personally I would give them back...what can I say?
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3
The British Museum
Great Russell Street
London
WC1B 3DG
uk
21st October 2006
Tabu - the power of the divine
Sokratis says that The British Museum is a great place to think. In the vast illuminated space of the Great Court,I can see why the openess would invite a person to fill the space with their own thoughts and projections. Well, yes, and now step into the huge archaic reading room, or into the stylised manufactured exhibits and surely you'll find there is more in these rooms to fuel your imagination and stimulate the thinking process.
I kind of found this today as I visited 'Power and Taboo - Scared objects from the Pacific'. The exhibit pitches the cultural artefacts as a spiritual and exotic time set aside, 'before the European settlers had made much impact on the region' but is also quick to validate the contemporary interest in the culture by telling us that 'despite the destructive impact of colonialism, many traditional skills are remebered and practiced today.' It explains the complex origin of the word 'tabu' and explores the Polynesians relationships with the gods, spirituality and the divine present in objects, places and activities. There are some beautiful and strange objects to look at, some equally strange depictions of tattooed people, and even more surprisingly, some works of art by a western artist Hodges representing his view of the islands, which apparently changed how europeans looked at the world (hmmm). I was amazed by the feathered cloaks.
Towards the end of the exhibit we come to A'a, a very important object in the collection for Europeans and the Pacific islanders themselves. In fact, the blurb explains that several islanders have made the journey to the museum to pay homage to the A'a in recent years. Woooooohoa there! They came to London to see one of the most important pieces of their culture? What sort of craziness is that? And why does the exhibit finish with a poem giving voice to the artefacts themselves lamenting their misplacement in the 'cold' museum. What sort of stories are we being told in this exhibit? And what thoughts are we being prompted to produce?
I think the British Museum has some amazing collections in a beautiful building and it's important that we go to see these things and learn about 'other cultures' but we have to be aware when we do that some of the thoughts we're thinking are directed by the curators and the stories they want us to hear. Even that great court, that apparently vacuous space that allows us to release our thoughts, is full of meaning already. Hope I haven't spoiled the museum for anyone by this rant. Hopefully I've just added a layer to the hundreds of things you'll have to think about after a few hours spent there.
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4
The British Museum
Great Russell Street
London
WC1B 3DG
uk
13th October 2006
Great place to think
You know when you need a bit of time to think and bit of space to let your brain roam freely around without being distracted too much or constrained by your surroundings? The atrium at the British Museum is perfect for that. The tessellated glass ceiling designed by Norman Foster creates this incredible uplifting feel and sense of space. If you're looking for some creative inspiration this one is one of the best spots in London. Try to go there early or late to avoid all the tourists and kids running around it can be difficult as this is one the most popular tourist attractions.
Ah, you can also look at some old mummies and stolen Greek marbles if you feel like it and of course buy something to remember the whole thing.
Opening times:
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 09.0018.00
Thursday, Friday, Saturday 09.0023.00
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