If you’re planning a trip to London, The British Museum is one of the attractions you don’t want to miss.
Founded in 1753, the museum houses an incredible 8 million artefacts in over 60 galleries spanning two million years of history from 6 different continents. It is also the most visited tourist attraction in the UK, drawing in 5.9 million visitors annually. Pretty impressive, right?
With so much popularity surrounding it, it’s a good idea to be prepared if you’re planning a visit. In this guide, find out everything you need to know about visiting the British Museum, to ensure your trip goes as smoothly as possible.
5 top tips for visiting the British Museum include:
- Plan your visit
- Decide how you’ll get there
- Stay comfortable
- Plan what you want to see
- Respect the artefacts
1. Plan Your Visit
Before visiting the British Museum, as with any popular attractions like Westminster Abbey or the National History Museum, it’s important to plan your visit so that you can make the most of your time there and avoid the crowds.
When Is the Best Time to Visit the British Museum?
The British Museum is open daily from 10am-5:30am, all year round.
As with most attractions in London, the quietest time to visit would generally be on a weekday either early in the morning when the doors open or after 3pm (as school groups typically visit during lunchtime).
Typically speaking, London’s tourist season peaks in the summer months around June – August and any major holidays, such as Easter and Christmas. If you’re looking to avoid the crowds, consider visiting during the off-peak seasons (autumn or spring) when tourist numbers are lower, and you’ll also have more space to explore and less queues to wait in.
How Much Does It Cost to Visit the British Museum?
The great news is that general admission to the British Museum is free for all visitors. Yep that’s right… completely free! This means that you can explore the museum’s incredible collection of art and artefacts from around the world without having to pay an entrance fee.
That said, while it’s free to enter, donations are encouraged to support the museum’s conservation efforts and educational programmes.
There may also be charges for special exhibitions, events, or guided tours within the museum, which can be found on the museum’s website or at the ticket desk.
When planning your trip, It’s also important to note that visitors are required to pass security checks to enter, and large bags and suitcases are prohibited.
2. Decide How You’ll Get There
Once you’ve planned when you’re visiting the British Museum, it’s important to pre-plan how you’re going to get there. The fantastic thing about London is its extensive public transport systems available, so whether you live in or outside of London, getting to the British Museum won’t be an issue.
How Do You Get to the British Museum?
The British Museum is located on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, right in the heart of central London.
Generally speaking, the tube is the quickest way to get to the British Museum, as it is conveniently located near several Tube stations: Tottenham Court Road (Northern and Central lines), Holborn (Central and Piccadilly lines), Russell Square (Piccadilly line) and Goodge Street (Northern line).
You can also find numerous bus routes serving the area around the British Museum, and if you’re in central London, walking or cycling to the British Museum can be a pleasant option too.
The best way to plan how you’ll get to the British Museum is to use transportation apps, (such as Google Maps, MoovIt or Citymapper) or websites.
At Yellow Moon Tours, we can travel to the British Museum on a private tour of London by foot, by car, by tube, or by boat depending on your preference.
Additionally, we can incorporate other London attractions nearby into the tour, including Big Ben and Buckingham Palace, to ensure you see as much of London as possible during your trip.
If you’re interested in booking a private tour today, get in touch!
3. Stay Comfortable
Another tip that can sometimes be overlooked when planning a trip to a museum is to be comfortable.
The British Museum is big, with numerous galleries and exhibits spread across multiple floors. Depending on how much you want to see, visitors can spend several hours exploring the museum’s extensive collection, which often involves a lot of walking.
Comfortable footwear is therefore essential to prevent discomfort and fatigue. There’s nothing quite worse than painful feet! The same goes for clothing.
Museums often maintain controlled indoor climates to preserve delicate artefacts and artworks, and as a result, temperatures inside the museum can vary from room to room. It’s therefore a good idea to dress in layers, allowing you to adjust your clothing to different temperatures throughout your visit.
4. Plan What You Want To See
The British Museum’s collection spans two million years of history across six continents, so to say there’s a lot to see in this vast museum would be an understatement.
This is why having a general idea of what you’re most interested in and what you want to see can help you plan your visit more efficiently.
You can do this by using the museum map on the British Museum website or mobile app to familiarise yourself with the different exhibits and plan your route.
How Long Do You Need at the British Museum?
The amount of time you’ll need at the British Museum will depend on a number of different factors, such as your personal interests, your pace, and whether you plan to visit specific exhibits or galleries.
That said, if you’re only primarily interested in seeing the museum’s highlights, you can spend around 2 to 3 hours exploring main exhibits such as the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures, the Egyptian mummies, and the Assyrian reliefs.
For a more comprehensive experience, we recommend spending around 4 to 6 hours at the museum. This allows you to dive deeper into specific galleries or collections of interest, such as ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, Asia, or the Enlightenment.
5. Respect the Artefacts
Our last tip for visiting the British Museum is to follow museum etiquette by refraining from touching the exhibits, using flash photography, or leaning on display cases.
The artefacts on display are priceless treasures with cultural and historical significance, and must be preserved and respected at all times. Touching artefacts can transfer oils, dirt, and other substances that may degrade or damage them over time.
We hope that this article has given you a better understanding of visiting the British Museum and what you can expect from your visit.
For inquiries or questions, contact us here or on +442032903665 to book your private tour.
For more tips and tricks, check out our regularly updated tour planner blog.
Written by Kate for Yellow Moon Tours, the private tours specialist covering London private tours, private tours of Paris, New York private tours and Ireland private tours from Dublin.
