UK Travel Guide

Museums
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British Museum

Established in 1753 with the acquisition of Sir Hans Sloane’s collection of antiquities and art, this museum is now home to over four million exhibits. These range from and include archeological items, prints, drawings, natural history artefacts, coins, sculptures and other treasures. Given the number of items on display it is no surprise to know that the museum is vast. Notwithstanding there is a continuous shortage of space for all the pieces that are continually acquired. In fact the natural history collection was moved to its own premises in 1888 in to what is now the Natural History Museum. The present building was built in 1847 by Robert Smirke and is itself an impressive structure. Equally impressive are the Elgin Marbles taken from the Parthenon in Greece, the Rosetta stone, the Magna Carter from 1215, the remains of a Saxon ship with its silver and gold, Egyptian mummies to name but a very few of an amazingly huge collection.

Located at: Great Russell Street, London, WC1

Telephone: 020 7636 1555

Opens: 10.00 am – 17.00 pm Monday to Saturday and from 14.30 pm – 18.00 pm on Sundays.

Cost: Free

Closest Subway Station: Tottenham Court Road Station (Click to see more atrraction at this station)