Tales of Museums

Unofficial visitor guide · London

British Museum: audio guide, labels, photos, Wi-Fi

Google Maps

Official audio guide · English Yes · 8 languages · £6

Entry to the British Museum is free, but book a free timed ticket: without one, entry depends on capacity and you queue at busy times. It opens daily 10.00 to 17.00, until 20.30 on Fridays, and the museum says 10.00 to 11.00 and after 16.00 are the quietest times. Labels and panels are in English, yet the museum says about three quarters of its visitors come from overseas; here is how to hear the labels in your language.

Independent guide by the makers of Tales of Museums. Not affiliated with the British Museum.

By Michael Mirkin, PhD · How we make our guides

Good to know before you go

Label languages
English. The museum's own text-writing guidelines are English-only, and note that about 75% of visitors come from overseas and many do not speak English as a first language. British Museum guidelines (PDF)
Official audio guide
The museum's free audio guide for your own phone, with 65 free gallery introductions. Commentaries on 250 highlight objects cost £6 per language bundle, in English, Chinese, Spanish, Italian, French, Korean, Japanese and German. britishmuseum.org: audio app
Photos
Allowed for private use with handheld cameras and phones, except where a notice says otherwise. No selfie sticks; tripods need prior arrangement. britishmuseum.org: visitor guidelines
Wi-Fi
Free network "British Museum WiFi" for all visitors. Charging phones is not allowed inside, so arrive with a full battery. britishmuseum.org · museum: visit

Checked on 28 October 2026 from the sources linked above. Museums change their guides and rules; confirm on the official British Museum website before you go.

Plan your visit

Opening hours
The Museum is open daily from 10.00 to 17.00, and until 20.30 on Fridays (no late opening on Good Friday, 26 March 2027). Last entry is 16.45 (Fridays 20.15). It is closed 24 to 26 December. britishmuseum.org: plan your visit · britishmuseum.org: visitor guidelines
Tickets
Entry to the permanent collection is free for everyone. Booking a free timed ticket in advance is recommended and gives priority entry in busy periods; walk-up entry is available daily, with longer waits when it is busy. The Korea exhibition (to 31 January 2027) is ticketed: adults £20 (£18 off-peak); students, 16 to 18s, jobseekers and disabled visitors £18 (£16 off-peak); under-16s and Members free. britishmuseum.org: plan your visit · britishmuseum.org: Korea exhibition
Crowds and best time
The British Museum says its quietest times are 10.00 to 11.00, when the galleries open, and from 16.00; November and early December are quieter too. Midday is the busiest part of the day, and weekends, UK school and bank holidays, Christmas and New Year are the busiest periods. Book a free timed ticket and arrive at your booked time: without one, entry depends on capacity and you queue at busy times. britishmuseum.org: accessibility (quieter times) · britishmuseum.org: visit
Getting there
The nearest Underground stations are Tottenham Court Road (5-minute walk; Central, Northern and Elizabeth lines), Holborn (7 minutes; Central and Piccadilly lines), Russell Square (7 minutes; Piccadilly line) and Goodge Street (8 minutes; Northern line). Buses stop on New Oxford Street (1, 8, 19, 25, 38, 55, 98, 242), Tottenham Court Road northbound and Gower Street southbound (14, 24, 29, 73, 134, 390) and Southampton Row (59, 68, X68, 91, 168, 188). britishmuseum.org: getting here · TfL: station lines

Tips for your visit

Checked on 28 October 2026 from the sources linked above. Museums change their guides and rules; confirm on the official British Museum website before you go.

Highlights and stories

Swipe for the works and stories worth knowing before you go.

The Portland Vase (Roman cameo glass, about AD 1-25, Room 70)

In 1845 a young man, blaming a week-long drinking bout, smashed the vase and its showcase. The law only let him be charged for the case: a £3 fine, paid by an unknown benefactor. 37 unplaced chips then vanished for a century, until the museum's 1945 purchase prompted a box-maker's descendant to hand them back.

Sandra Smith, 'The Portland Vase', The Art of the Conservator (British Museum Press, 1992) · britishmuseum.org: The Portland Vase

The Parthenon sculptures (Room 18): the 1937-38 scraping

According to historian William St Clair, workmen in 1937-38 scraped the sculptures with copper tools, wire brushes and carborundum, because Lord Duveen, who was paying for their new gallery, wanted them whiter. A museum report admitted the damage was obvious and could not be exaggerated, and stayed secret until 1998.

The Art Newspaper (Martin Bailey): Parthenon Marbles conference report

Gebelein Man (about 3500 BC, Room 64)

For over a century nobody explained the cut on his left shoulder blade. His first CT scan, in 2012, showed it went deep into the muscle, broke the bone and shattered a rib: a single stab in the back, probably with a metal blade, that likely reached his lung. He was about 18 to 21, and his brain is still in his skull.

British Museum: Regarding the Dead (2015), Gebelein Man chapter

The Rosetta Stone (196 BC, Room 4)

Fearing heavy bombing in 1917, the museum hid the Rosetta Stone for two years in a station of the Post Office's mail railway, 50 feet below Holborn: its only break from display since 1802. When it first arrived, the floors were too weak to bear it, so it sat in a temporary structure in the grounds.

britishmuseum.org: Everything you ever wanted to know about the Rosetta Stone

The Lycurgus Cup (Late Roman, AD 300s, Room 41)

In reflected light the glass looks opaque green, but shine a light through it and it glows red, thanks to tiny amounts of gold and silver in the glass. The gilded silver rim and foot are not Roman: according to the museum, they were probably added in the late 1700s.

britishmuseum.org: Room 41 large print guide · britishmuseum.org: The Lycurgus Cup

Hoa Hakananai'a, the Easter Island statue (Room 24)

Its name means 'lost, hidden or stolen friend'. It was once painted with red and white designs, which washed off when it was rafted out to the ship in 1869. Walk round the back: a University of Southampton study found carvings added while it stood half-buried, and bird-people watching a chick leave the nest.

britishmuseum.org: Hoa Hakananai'a · ScienceDaily: University of Southampton study (2013)

Emptying the museum in eight days, 1939

In 1939 staff moved over 150 tonnes of objects in eight days, sending the Sutton Hoo treasure into Aldwych tube station and the coins to a butler's pantry in Kettering. Fireman warders guarded the roofs with sand buckets and golf clubs for chipping away fire bombs. Much of the collection waited out the war in a former mushroom quarry.

britishmuseum.org: The British Museum and the Blitz, eight days to evacuate

Hear the labels in your language

Tales of Museums reads the English label in front of you aloud in your language, for any object you can photograph, not only the highlights. The museum's free Wi-Fi is "British Museum WiFi".

  1. Point at the label. Hold your iPhone steady and tap. You can also choose a photo you already took.
  2. Listen in your language. The label is translated and read aloud in a natural voice, in any of twelve languages, and each sentence lights up as it is read.
  3. Learn more. Key terms explained in plain words, and a few interesting facts with their sources.

Coming soon to the App Store for iPhone

Questions visitors ask

Is the British Museum free, and do I need a timed ticket?

Entry to the British Museum's permanent collection is free, but the museum advises booking a free ticket for a time slot: it gives priority entry at busy times, and without one, entry depends on capacity and you should expect to queue. Arrive at your booked time, and enter by the main entrance on Great Russell Street or the Montague Place entrance. Some exhibitions charge, such as Korea (to 31 January 2027) and the Bayeux Tapestry. britishmuseum.org: visit

When is the British Museum least crowded?

The museum says the quietest times are 10.00-11.00, when the galleries open, and late afternoon from 16.00; November and early December are also less crowded. Midday is the busiest part of the day, and the busiest periods are weekends, UK school and bank holidays, Christmas and New Year. The permanent galleries can also get especially busy on the first and last weekends of a special exhibition. britishmuseum.org: accessibility (quieter times)

What are the opening hours?

Daily 10:00 to 17:00, and until 20:30 on Fridays. The museum is closed 24 to 26 December, and galleries start clearing 10 minutes before closing. britishmuseum.org: plan your visit

Are British Museum labels translated into other languages?

Labels and panels are written in English. The official audio guide covers 250 highlight objects in eight languages. British Museum guidelines

Is there an audio guide in my language?

The official audio guide has paid commentaries in English, Chinese, Spanish, Italian, French, Korean, Japanese and German, plus a British Sign Language guide. britishmuseum.org

What does the Rosetta Stone say?

The Rosetta Stone is part of a stone slab with a priests' decree from 196 BC honouring Ptolemy V, written three times: in hieroglyphs, in Demotic and in Ancient Greek. The Greek text helped scholars decipher hieroglyphs. britishmuseum.org

Can I take photos?

Yes, for private use with a handheld camera or phone, unless a notice says otherwise. Selfie sticks are not allowed. britishmuseum.org

What is the nearest tube station?

Tottenham Court Road is a 5-minute walk; Holborn and Russell Square are about 7 minutes, and Goodge Street about 8. The main entrance is on Great Russell Street, with a second entrance on Montague Place. britishmuseum.org: plan your visit

Can I bring luggage, and is it wheelchair accessible?

Wheeled suitcases and large bags are not allowed, and every bag is searched at entry; the museum suggests luggage storage at Euston, King's Cross or Charing Cross. A step-free route starts at the main Great Russell Street entrance, and free manual wheelchairs can be reserved at least two working days ahead. britishmuseum.org: plan your visit · britishmuseum.org: accessibility

How long do I need at the British Museum?

The museum publishes free object trails sized by time: a one-hour trail for a whirlwind tour of world history, and a three-hour trail through the most popular objects on display. Pick one and follow it with the museum map. britishmuseum.org: object trails

Is the British Museum good for children?

Yes: there is a free 'Twelve objects to see with children' trail, and at weekends and in school holidays the Families Desk in the Great Court lends activity backpacks and explorer trails. Buggies are welcome, folded ones can be left free in the cloakroom, and families may picnic in the Ford Centre for Young Visitors on weekends and school holidays. britishmuseum.org: family visits · britishmuseum.org: object trails

Where can I eat at the British Museum?

The Court Cafés in the Great Court serve sandwiches, salads and cakes daily 10.00-17.00, the first-floor Coffee Lounge overlooks the Reading Room, and the family-friendly Pizzeria is open 11.00-16.00. The Great Court Restaurant (11.30-17.00) needs advance booking, and two food trucks serve snacks outdoors. britishmuseum.org: food and drink

Is the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum, and do I need a ticket?

Yes. The Bayeux Tapestry is on show at the British Museum from 10 September 2026 to 11 July 2027 in Room 30, the Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery, and it needs a paid ticket: adults from £25, with under-16s free when booked alongside an adult ticket. It is open Sunday to Wednesday 10:00–18:00 and Thursday to Saturday 10:00–21:00, and a free audio guide takes you along the Tapestry. britishmuseum.org: The Bayeux Tapestry · britishmuseum.org: exhibitions and events

Are there free tours at the British Museum?

Yes. Volunteers lead free 40-minute eye-opener tours at different times each day, limited to about 15 people, so arrive early at the meeting point; on Friday late openings free 20-minute spotlight tours run between 17:00 and 19:00. A free 20-minute Reading Room tour starts on Tuesdays at 11:00 and 12:00, first come, first served, and all British Museum tours are in English. britishmuseum.org: tours and talks · britishmuseum.org: LGBTQ+ tour (tour language)

Which entrance should I use at the British Museum?

At the British Museum, most visitors should use the main entrance on Great Russell Street: it leads straight into the Great Court with the ticket and information desks, and the cloakroom is just inside on the left. Its step-free easy access route is for disabled visitors, Members and visitors with buggies or children under five. The Montague Place entrance is step-free too, and it is the only entrance for tour groups of 10 or more. Both entrances have a security check and bag search. britishmuseum.org: entering the Museum · britishmuseum.org: accessibility at the Museum · britishmuseum.org: visitor guidelines and conditions of entry

What is a good route through the British Museum in 2 to 3 hours?

For 2 to 3 hours at the British Museum, follow part of its Three hours at the Museum trail: on level 0, see the Rosetta Stone and Ramesses the Great (Room 4), the Assyrian lion hunt reliefs (Room 10), the Parthenon sculptures (Room 18) and Hoa Hakananai'a (Room 24). Then climb once to level 3 for Sutton Hoo (Room 41), the Lewis Chessmen (Room 40), the Royal Game of Ur (Room 56) and the mummy of Katebet (Room 63). Check the planned gallery closures before you go. britishmuseum.org: Three hours at the Museum trail · britishmuseum.org: text alternative to the Museum map · britishmuseum.org: planned gallery closures

How long is the queue at the British Museum?

At the British Museum, the wait is shortest when you arrive at your pre-booked entry time: the museum asks visitors to do this to keep security waits to a minimum. Without a free ticket, entry depends on capacity, and when visitor numbers are very high you may wait longer. Everyone passes a security check and bag search. Midday, weekends and UK school and bank holidays are the busiest times, and the museum lists Rooms 4, 18 and 24 among its crowded rooms. britishmuseum.org: entering the Museum · britishmuseum.org: accessibility (busier times, crowded areas)

Tales of Museums is an independent app and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the British Museum. Translations, narration and the extra facts use AI and can contain mistakes, so for anything important, check the museum's official information and the linked sources. Please follow the museum's photography rules.

Also in London

More museum guides