The British Museum in Bloomsbury holds two million years of human history under one roof, from the Rosetta Stone and the Parthenon sculptures to Egyptian mummies and the Sutton Hoo treasure, and the permanent collection is free. It opens daily 10:00–17:00 and until 20:30 on Fridays, with last entry at 16:45 (20:15 on Fridays). Everyone except members is advised to book a free timed slot online. Until 11 July 2027 it also shows the Bayeux Tapestry, a separately ticketed exhibition; as of October 2026, slots to 31 December are sold out and January to March tickets go on sale on 21 October.
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Why the British Museum matters
Founded by Act of Parliament in 1753 around the collection of the physician Sir Hans Sloane, it opened in 1759 as one of the first free national public museums in the world. Its Greek Revival building on Great Russell Street dates from the 19th century, and the glass-roofed Great Court, opened in 2000, turned the old inner courtyard into the largest covered square in Europe, with the round Reading Room at its centre. Some of its most famous pieces, above all the Parthenon sculptures, are also the subject of long-running return claims.
What you’ll see
- The Rosetta Stone: the slab with the same decree in hieroglyphs, Demotic and Greek that unlocked Egyptian writing. It is on the ground floor near the Great Court and always busy, so see it first.
- Ancient Egypt: giant sculpture on the ground floor and the mummies and coffins upstairs, the galleries families head for.
- Ancient Greece: the Parthenon sculptures from the Acropolis of Athens and one of the Caryatids from the Erechtheion.
- The Assyrian reliefs: the lion hunts of Ashurbanipal and the winged human-headed bulls that once guarded palace gates.
- Britain and Europe: the Anglo-Saxon ship burial treasure from Sutton Hoo, with its iron helmet, and the Lewis Chessmen.
- The Bayeux Tapestry: the 11th-century embroidery telling the story of the Norman Conquest of 1066, on loan from Normandy and shown in Room 30, the Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery, from 10 September 2026 to 11 July 2027.
Some galleries close in turn for maintenance between September and December 2026, so check the museum’s list of gallery closures before you go if you have one object in mind.
Tickets and how to visit
As of October 2026, from the British Museum’s official pages:
- Permanent collection: free. Book a free timed slot online to guarantee entry and arrive at the time on your ticket. Friday lates are free too; the last Friday slot is 19:00.
- Hours: daily 10:00–17:00, Fridays to 20:30 (except Good Friday, 26 March 2027). Last entry 16:45, or 20:15 on Fridays.
- Bayeux Tapestry: timed tickets only, no walk-ins. Adults pay £33 at peak times, £27 off-peak and £25 on super off-peak term-time weekday afternoons; under-16s go free with a paying adult (up to four per adult). Tickets to 31 December 2026 are sold out; members get priority booking for January to March 2027 from 6 October, general sale opens on 21 October 2026, and April to July tickets follow in early 2027. Buy only on britishmuseum.org.
- Bags and security: all bags are searched on arrival. Wheeled cases are not allowed at all, and no bag may be bigger than 40 x 40 x 50 cm or heavier than 8 kg.
- Cloakroom: turn left inside the main entrance. It charges per item: £4 for bags up to 4 kg, £6 for 4–8 kg, £3 for coats; fold-up pushchairs are free. Last deposits are an hour before closing.
How long to allow and when to go
You could spend days here, but two to three hours covers the highlights. Weekday mornings in term time and Friday evenings are the calmest times; the Rosetta Stone and the Egyptian rooms are busiest from late morning. Pick three or four galleries in advance and use the free museum map rather than trying to see everything.
Accessibility
The main entrance on Great Russell Street has lifts for step-free access, and the Montague Place entrance at the back is step-free as well. Most lifts inside are wheelchair accessible, with audio announcements and braille, and small lifts link levels in Rooms 18 and 21. Wheelchairs can be borrowed for use inside the museum. A sensory map is available for visitors who prefer quieter routes.
Getting there
The address is Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. Tottenham Court Road (Central, Northern and Elizabeth lines), Holborn (Central and Piccadilly) and Russell Square (Piccadilly) are each a short walk away, and Goodge Street (Northern) is close too. Many bus routes run along New Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road.
Combine it with
Covent Garden is about a kilometre south and Trafalgar Square, with the free National Gallery, about 1.3 km. If the Parthenon sculptures catch your eye, see our guide to the Acropolis of Athens; if the Bayeux Tapestry does, our Normandy travel guide covers Bayeux and the coast. In London, pair it with the Tower of London or Westminster Abbey, and see our London travel guide for the rest of the city.
British Museum FAQ
Is the British Museum free?
Yes. Entry to the permanent collection is free. All visitors except members are advised to book a free timed slot online. Special exhibitions, such as the Bayeux Tapestry, are ticketed.
What are the British Museum’s opening hours?
Daily 10:00–17:00, with last entry at 16:45, and until 20:30 on Fridays (last entry 20:15), as of October 2026. There is no late opening on Good Friday.
How do I get tickets for the Bayeux Tapestry?
Only through britishmuseum.org, as timed tickets. As of October 2026, dates to 31 December are sold out; January to March 2027 tickets go on general sale on 21 October 2026, with April to July released in early 2027.
How much are Bayeux Tapestry tickets?
£33 for adults at peak times, £27 off-peak and £25 on super off-peak term-time weekday afternoons. Under-16s go free with a paying adult, up to four per adult.
Can I bring a suitcase to the British Museum?
No. Wheeled cases are not allowed, and bags must be no larger than 40 x 40 x 50 cm and 8 kg. Smaller bags can go in the paid cloakroom.
How long do you need at the British Museum?
Two to three hours for the highlights, such as the Rosetta Stone, the Egyptian and Greek galleries and Sutton Hoo. Add an hour for the Bayeux Tapestry.