A vivid reminder of British imperialism at its height, a period when subjects of the crown would seek adventure and fortune in all corners of the earth, the British Museum stands proud as testimony to times gone by where the quest for knowledge drove all. Situated in Russell Square in the West part of Central London, the British Museum is best reached by the Russell Square Underground station, and accommodation in the vicinity is ample. Four star hotel accommodation in the area cost between 90 and 200 GBP per night, and 3 star hotels from around 60GBP per night. For the most part it is expensive to stay in London, but the travel system is so good that staying a little way away from the main attractions may often work out to be worth while. One should always consider and be aware of travel costs in London when choosing where to stay. London is divided into 6 zones from the centre out, and travel costs depend accordingly. An all day travelcard for zones 1 and 2 cost 5.30 GBP off peak, 1-4, 5.90GBP off peak, and 1-6 is 7 GBP off peak. Off peak is after 9.30 am every day.
The British Museum itself is located in Zone 1 and is in close proximity to shops, restaurants, and green areas making it a very pleasant full day destination. Like all museums in London, the British Museum is free to enter, but you will see donation boxes the contents of which help to keep the museum going.
The building which has hosted the British Museum since 1754 is Montagu House, considered in the seventeenth century to be one of the grandest buildings in the London area. By the nineteenth century it was apparent that the original building of Montague house that had been restored after fire 1686 was not big enough to contain the constantly expanding collection of the British Museum. The Townley Gallery was the first extension to be added and in 1808 became the home of the sculpture collection whose owner, Charles Townley, the wing was named after. It only lasted for thirty four years however when it was demolished and replace with the Smirk building. It was during these years that Sir Robert Smirke designed the central elements of the building, completing the Greek Revival style construction in 1852, in order to house what was going to be become the King's Library; King George IV's father's personal library made as a gift to the people of Great Britain. It was Sir Robert Smirke's brother who completed the project and finished the front hall and the central section of the south front, as well as the colonnade, forecourt and the railings. Further galleries have been added since, including King Edward VII's galleries that were completed in 1914.
The highlight of the British Museum for many is the Parthenon gallery containing the freeze and pediment sculptures from the great structure in Athens. The entire of the ancient world is represented in the British Museum from Ancient Rome to Mesopotamia, Egypt to China. The contents is vast and to look at all the exhibits and artifacts would take weeks, so doing a little research before hand to decide on the specific areas of interest is recommended. As we said, entrance is free but there will be various exhibits at any one time that will cost to enter, usually around 12 GBP with concessions available. The website for the British Museum contains all the information necessary both in terms of practical visiting and the exhibitions and the artifacts themselves.
The British Museum Egypt
Among the countless tourist attractions in contemporary London, such as the Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge and Buckingham Palace, the one that can easily be considered the unforgettable "Queen" amongst them all, is the British Museum. Britain's national museum of archaeology and antiquities was established by an act of Parliament in 1753, when the government purchased three large private collections consisting of books, manuscripts, prints, drawings, paintings, medals, coins, seals, cameos, and natural curiosities. Today, home of approximately seven million objects from all continents, the British museum is considered to be the most popular and famous museum in the world.
Located in the Bloomsbury district of London, the British museum's collections in archaeology and ethnography are particularly outstanding. Being one of London's principal tourist attractions, the visitor can admire its famous holdings, like the Elgin Marbles, carvings from the Athenian Parthenon, the Rosetta Stone, the Portland Vase, the Benin Bronzes, Egyptian Mummies, and the Chinese ceramics. Its drawings collection holds more than 2,000 drawings constituting the world's largest and most comprehensive collections.
Since it first opened its doors to the public, on January 15, 1759 the museum has been illustrating and documenting the story of human development and culture from its early years to the present day. Because the British Museum does not charge any admission fees, the exception being some temporary special exhibitions, interested publics from around the globe line up outside its doors waiting to enter its amazing gallery showrooms and admire the plethora of human creations kept in there.
But some of its most prestigious holdings, like the Parthenon Marbles and the Benin Bronzes are among its most disputed collections. These collections are the subject of great controversy and political debates since various organizations lobby in favor of their return to their native countries of Greece and Nigeria respectively. But regardless of the harsh criticism, the British Museum has refused to return either collection, arguing that if the British Museum was to return to their original geographical location any of its current possessions that would mean empty rooms for a great many museums around the world. Although critics argue that these artifacts, among others, should now return to their home countries, the British Museum continues to support that it is an appropriate custodian and has the inalienable right over these disputed creations under British law. Nevertheless, the fact still remains that the British Museum is one of the most important London destinations one should not miss visiting when circumstances allow a ride to one of the most famous and interesting capitals in the world.
Both Gaizka Pujana & Kadence Buchanan are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
