Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
In the 19th century, the British flag flew over one-fourth of the world. London was the
world's capital, where women in saris walked the streets with men in top hats. And Eng-
land collected art as fast as it collected colonies.
The British Museum is
the
chronicle of Western civilization. History is a modern in-
vention. Three hundred years ago, people didn't care about crumbling statues and dusty
columns. Nowadays, we value a look at past civilizations, knowing that “those who don't
learn from history are condemned to repeat it.”
The British Museum is the only place I can think of where you can follow the rise
and fall of three great civilizations—Egypt, Assyria, and Greece—in a few hours, with a
coffee break in the middle. And, while the sun never set on the British Empire, it will on
you, so on this tour we'll see just the most exciting two hours.
(See “North London” map,
here
.)
Cost:
Free, but a
£
5 donation is requested. (Take this opportunity to unload your spare
change.) Interesting temporary exhibits usually require a separate admission (and a
timed ticket).
Hours:
The museum is open daily 10:00-17:30, Fri until 20:30 (not all galleries are open
Fri night, but most of our tour is). The
Great Court
—the grand entrance with eater-
ies, gift shops, and an exhibit gallery—is open daily 9:00-18:00, Fri until 20:30.
When to Go:
Rainy days and Sundays are the most crowded times; the same goes for
school holidays. The museum is least crowded late on weekday afternoons.
Getting There:
The main entrance is on Great Russell Street. From the Tottenham Court
Road Tube stop, take exit #3, then with the tall Centrepoint building on your right,
walk to Museum Street and hang a left. The Holborn and Russell Square Tube stops
are also nearby. Buses #38, #168 and #24 are among the many that stop here (see
