Why the British Museum should be on everyone's itinerary
/I know what you’re thinking: “why on earth would I put a museum on my London itinerary”? Shouldn’t I be visiting the world-class restaurants, the west-end theatre or simply taking in the history like Buckingham Palace. Furthermore, you’ll be surprised to find that the British Museum isn’t focused on British History (very little of it is actually British).
However, stick with me, because the British Museum is not only one of the best museums in Britain, but probably the world.
Why the British Museum?
Firstly, because you can investigate over 4000 years of history in one place. Spread over four floors, there are plenty of artefacts to see at your leisure and we’ve made multiple trips (probably culminating in days of exploring and we still haven’t seen it all).
From Rameses II of Egypt, to the Rosetta Stone and the preserved remains of Lindow Man, to the Sutton Hoo treasure and Viking loot, the British Museum is home to some of the most important artefacts in the world and there will be something that interests everyone.
Can’t afford to go to Egypt? Go to the British Museum and immerse yourself in the world of the pharaohs!
Mummies, statues, ancient pictures and hieroglyphs, the British Museum has loads of them.The spectacle of world of ancient Egypt is there for all to see.Ever seen a mummified Cat, crocodile or bull? They are all there to add to the story of the land of the pharaohs.
You can take in the museum long galleries packed with amazing objects from Ancient Egypt. After spending a couple of hours in galleries on two floors you’ll be booking your next holiday to the land of the Pharaohs. This is only the start of your expedition in time to some of the most fascinating periods of history.
Here’s a few more reasons why we love this museum.
The Rosetta Stone
Have you ever wandered how Egyptian hieroglyphs were deciphered?
Have a look at the Rosetta Stone and see hieroglyphs alongside ancient Greek and Demotic. Look for the the cartouche (name) of Rameses II on the stone and wonder how it was decoded. If you want to get even closer to the Rosetta Stone, go to room one and see an exact copy that you can touch and get a closer look.
You can see giant statues from one of the first civilisations which predates the Romans and Greeks
You can meet the mysterious Lindow Man
The British Museum may be famous for grand men of history, Pharoahs and Greeks of the classical world but here you will find a British man from the Iron Age. Pete Marsh was murdered 2000 years ago yet his body was preserved in Lindow Moss in a Manchester peat bog. Archaeologists have even discovered that he had just eaten some bread for breakfast before he was brutally killed.
Want to see the the world of the Ancient Greeks?
You can get close up to legendary heroes, centaurs and the world famous Elgin Marbles from the Acropolis at the British Museum.
Key stage 2 comes alive at the British Museum.
Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece are all important features of Key stage 2 History studied in primary schools.Make your child’s studies come alive and take the to the British Museum.
Want to entertain your children and grand children? Get them away from their iPads for the day?
Take them to the British Museum and have lots of fun discovering ancient worlds with our activity sheets.
Look at the detail in this buckle
See treasure from largest ever Anglo-Saxon Ship burial at Sutton Hoo.
Despite no wooden remains lasting the ravages of an acid soil in East Anglia, the ghostly outline of a ship was carefully excavated to reveal the amazing grave goods of an Anglo-Saxon nobleman who was once thought to be a king! Marvel at the skilled artistic metalwork used to create the gold and garnet shoulder clasps, a purse lid and belt buckle.
Meet the Lewis Chessmen, made 800 years ago in Norway but found on the Island of Lewis, Scotland.
For nearly 2500 years before the X Box and Wii, people of all ages from all over the medieval world, have played chess. Made of intricately carved Walrus ivory and whale tooth, the Lewis chessmen are one of our favourite exhibits. Look at their gloomy faces. The queen looks particularly fed up. In contrast, the pawns do not have any human features and some people believe, reflect the Islamic version of this Indian invented game.
Never heard of the Assyrians?
At its height the Assyrian empire was huge and included Iran, Iraq, Egypt Israel and even Cyprus. Amazing carvings and friezes dating from the 8th and 8th centuries BC are among the stunning artefacts in the British Museum. If you want ancient culture without the crowds, come and see the Assyrian collection.
Avoiding the crowds
Want to visit the British Museum but can’t bare the thought of crowded gallery after crowded gallery, visit the Assyrian galleries in rooms 7-9 on the ground floor.
How to get to the British Museum
Take the underground to Tottenham Court Road and it take no more than 10 minutes to walk, with opportunities for a quick cup of coffee on the way.
Are you planning a trip to London? What is the best museum you’ve ever visited? Let us know in the comments below.
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Articles on London
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