here’s no doubt about it. The British Museum is a fantastic trip for anyone visiting London.
TBut it’s truly vast. There’s no way you can see everything in one day. And honestly, it’s not worth trying to. You’ll end up not paying attention to what you are seeing, and whizz around the whole place in an hour not taking anything in. So how do you get the most of your trip? Here’s my guide:
1. Accept that you’re not going to see everything.
Knowing that you can’t see everything will make the trip so much more fun. Unless you’re going to live here for the whole weekend, realise that unless you make a return trip, you won’t get to see all that you want. There’s so many fabulous treasures in the museum that realising this is half the battle.
2. Aim to fit in a least one temporary exhibition.
The temporary exhibits are the real jewels of this museum. Don’t get me wrong, all of the permanent stuff is worth the trip alone, but it’s not every day you get to see the Terracotta Warriors, is it? Sure, these exhibitions cost a bit, but they are worth every penny. Wait a week or so after opening if you can, and you’ll avoid most of the huge crowds. You can still book these in advance, but be quick, some of them sell out in days.
3. Visit the museum by area.
This is the easiest way to get around the museum. Each area is split into countries or continents, both old and new. You can visit everything Asia related in one go, or, hop around Europe through Ancient Greece and Rome. By splitting it up into sections, you’ll feel like you’ve got a really good insight into one area. You’ll also remember which bits you’ve seen if you get the chance to go back. Every time you go back, you’ll get to explore something new.
4. Join a tour.
Yes, this might be a very touristy thing to do, but the guides here know their stuff. The information cards in the museum aren’t brilliant; there’s just too much on display to have a detailed explanation about all of the artefacts. So if there’s something you really want to learn about, find the tour guide post, or, hire a headset and listen at your own leisure.
5. Don’t rush!
This is the most important way to walk around a museum, but in somewhere this vast, it can be difficult not to get drawn into seeing as much as possible. If you’re attracted to the ancient jewellery (my favourite part of the museum) then linger over it. Enjoy the bits you really want to. So you didn’t see the gold Kate Moss statue? So what! It’s your trip. See what you want to see. Enjoy what you want to enjoy.
The British Museum is a beautiful place and you’ll always enjoy coming here if you get to see something new. Hopefully if you tackle the museum in sections and take your time, you’ll really enjoy yourself. After all, the museum is meant to be fun not hard work!
The British museum is located on Russell Street. It is free, but there are donation boxes. If you can, do donate. They need those donations to keep those excellent exhibits open.
Photo of the Great Court at the British Museum, London by jon hanson
Topic: How to Tuesday |
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Tags: Art, London
About the author
Sian is a freelance journalist who specialises in writing about entertainment and events in London. She can often be found lurking around cocktail bars and drinking too much tea in little cafes. She is best approached cautiously, with a piece of cake.
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