The British Museum

LONDON, United Kingdom — The British Museum in central London is one of the world’s great museums and is devoted to human history and culture.

By David Coleman

Last Updated: November 18, 2022

Filed Under: England

Topics: London UK

The British Museum is one of the world’s great museums. With over 8 million pieces in its permanent collection, it features a remarkable representation from around the world. The ways in which some of the artifacts were acquired–some say pilfered, some say protected–is rightly controversial. A sizable portion of the collection was made possible by the long reach of British colonialism. But there’s little argument that the British Museum is an astonishing resource for understanding human history and culture.

The museum is conceptually similar to the Met in New York. You won’t find any dinosaur skeletons here or space shuttles. But you will find plenty of Egyptian mummies, ancient Roman and Greek artifacts, statues of Asian deities, and coverage of the span of human inhabitation of the British Isles.

Photos from the British Museum

Lion Mosaic from Nebuchadnezzar II's Babylon. London, United Kingdom — A mosaic of glazed bricks depicting a lion that formed part of a larger facade to one of Nebuchadnezzar II’s buildings in Babylon. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel

Sculptures Above the Main Entrace of the British Museum — Sculptures and flag above the main entrance. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel

British Museum — Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel

Marble Bust of Anne Seymour Damer — A marble bust of Mrs. Anne Seymour Damer (1748-1828) by Giuseppe Cerrachi (1751-1801) dated to around 1777. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel

Egyption Sphinx at the British Museum — The Granite sphinx of Taharqo (circa 690-664 BC, Egypt). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel

Decorative Gold Valuables at the British Museum — Decorative gold valuables. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel

Ornately Decorated Plates on Display at the British Museum — Ornately painted plates. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel

Viking Silver Hoard at the British Museum — Known as The Cuerdale Hoard, this collection of Viking silver is on display in the British Museum in London. It was found in a lead chest beside the River Ribble at Cuerdale, Lancashire, and consists of around 7500 coins and 1200 pieces of bullion. It is the largest Viking hoard known from Western Europe and has been dated to around AD 905 to 910. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel

Mediaeval Armor on Display at the British Museum — Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel

Great Court of the British Museum — Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel

Stairway and The Townley Caryatid at the British Museum — A grand stairway inside the main entrance to the British Museum in London. At right of the frame is The Townley Caryatid, a Roman sculpture dated to about AD 140-170, on display near the main entrance. It was found around 1585-90 near the Via Appia outside Rome. It was acquired by the Peretti family and was kept at the Villa Peretti Montalto, later Negroni. In 1784 the contents of the Villa were sold, and the Caryatid was afterward bought by Charles Townley. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel

Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel[/caption]

Visitors at the Main Entrance to the British Museum in London — Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel

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