British Museum

The British Museum is a national museum in Bloomsbury, London, United Kingdom, holding several million historical objects from around the world. The collections span numerous galleries within a large neoclassical building whose front is lined with columns and whose layout centers on an indoor courtyard covered by a glass roof.

The institution opened to the public in 1759, built on the collection of Sir Hans Sloane that had been bequeathed to the state. Over the following centuries, the building was expanded and reshaped to accommodate a growing inventory fed by donations and acquisitions from many countries.

Visitors gather in the galleries to see objects used by people thousands of years ago, from everyday tools to ceremonial sculptures that once shaped beliefs and rituals. School groups, families, and travelers move between rooms, often pausing before displays to read about distant civilizations or photograph pieces they want to remember.

Admission is free every day, though some temporary exhibitions may charge a fee. The building has lifts, ramps, and accessible restrooms for wheelchair users, and audio guides and maps are available at the entrance to help orient yourself among the galleries.

The Great Court spans over two acres under a glass canopy completed in 2000, forming one of the largest covered public spaces in Europe. The steel structure of the roof weighs more than eight hundred tons and rests on a circular Reading Room rotunda that is visible from the surrounding floor.

Location: London Borough of Camden

Inception: 1753

Founders: Hans Sloane

Architects: Robert Smirke

Official opening: 1759

Accessibility: Dostępne dla wózków inwalidzkich

Fee: No

Address: Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG, UK

Opening Hours: Sobota-Czwartek 10:00-17:00; Piątek 10:00-20:30

Phone: +44(0)2073238000

Website: http://britishmuseum.org

GPS coordinates: 51.51944,-0.12694

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:51