The British Museum (map), in the Bloomsbury area of London, is a public institution dedicated to human history, art and culture. Its permanent collection of some eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence, having been widely collected during the era of the British Empire. It documents the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present.

⇒ Also сheck оut мore info: Plan your visit • Exhibitions • Collection

It first opened to the public in 1759, in Montagu House, on the site of the current building. Its expansion over the following 250 years was largely a result of expanding British colonisation and has resulted in the creation of several branch institutions, the first being the Natural History Museum in 1881.

Today the museum no longer houses collections of natural history, and the books and manuscripts it once held now form part of the independent British Library (map). The museum nevertheless preserves its universality in its collections of artefacts representing the cultures of the world, ancient and modern. The original 1753 collection has grown to over 13 million objects at the British Museum, 70 million at the Natural History Museum and 150 million at the British Library. > Explore the collection

Department of Egypt and Sudan. The British Museum houses the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of Egyptian antiquities (with over 100,000 pieces) outside the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

Department of Greece and Rome. The British Museum has one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive collections of antiquities from the Classical world, with over 100,000 objects.

Department of Prints and Drawings. Since its foundation in 1808, the prints and drawings collection has grown to international renown as one of the richest and most representative collections in the world. There are approximately 50,000 drawings and over two million prints.

It ranks as one of the largest and best print room collections in existence alongside the Albertina in Vienna, the Paris collections and the Hermitage. The holdings are easily accessible to the general public in the Study Room, unlike many such collections.

Department of Asia. The scope of the Department of Asia is extremely broad; its collections of over 75,000 objects cover the material culture of the whole Asian continent (from East, South, Central and South-East Asia) and from the Neolithic up to the present day.

Department of Coins and Medals is home to one of the world’s finest numismatic collections, comprising about a million objects, including coins, medals, tokens and paper money. The collection spans the entire history of coinage from its origins in the 7th century BC to the present day and is representative of both the East and West. > *British Museum Department of Coins and Medals

TRANSPORT FOR LONDON – is a government organisation responsible for all public transport. Their website contains maps plus an excellent journey planner. The Underground is the oldest underground railway network in the world. (+ Connections map)

⇒ Also сheck оut мore info: Getting around (visitlondon.com) • Transport (london.gov.uk) • Travel to and around England (visitengland.com)

BUS: National Express. By far the largest domestic coach operator and operates services throughout Great Britain. London’s coach hub is Victoria Coach Station (map), an Art Deco building opened in 1932.

TRAIN: National Rail network, with 70 per cent of rail journeys starting or ending in London. + Train – Planning trip.

AIRPORT: Heathrow Airport, in Hillingdon, was for many years the busiest airport in the world for international traffic. Gatwick Airport is second airport, also serving a large spectrum of places world-wide. ⇒ airportguides.co.uk – list of airports.

FERRY: River boat services on the Thames known as Thames Clippers, which offers both commuter and tourist boat services. + River Transport Services.

Bicycles may be taken on car ferries and on Eurotunnel shuttle trains. Eurostar allows folding bikes on all its trains, and offers a more restricted service for other bikes, but has quite strict and specific rules that are worth reading up on before you travel.

The conservation and re-mounting of Kitagawa Utamaro’s hanging scroll, “Standing Courtesan Reading a Letter” and its silk mount (BM 2014,3048.1), was completed at the British Museum Hirayama studio in November 2016 thanks to generous support from the Sumitomo Foundation.

The treatment was part of the Collaborative Project for Conservation of Japanese Paintings in the British Museum collection together with the Association for Conservation of National Treasures.

⇒ video source: The British Museum / youtube.com /

Ways to visit the UK. Visit for tourism, business or a short stay (up to 6 months), airport transit visas. + Visa & Entry (visitbritain.com)

Our article about the city of London. Information about the city’s attractions, culture, events, and activities. Public transport.

We can help you making your journey using the most up to date information from around the UK for all transport companies.