Trifter

Finally, after numerous visits to London, I found time to visit the British Museum, the oldest public museum in the world, opened in 1759.

The rich collection housed by the museum was launched by the donations made to King George II to Sir Hans Sloane, a physician and naturalist who has a vast private museum.

This is a huge museum, with about 100 rooms and a number of exhibits virtually incalculable.

The museum, como all British public museums is free, but we suggest a minimum donation of 3 pounds or 5 euros / dollars to contribute to the maintenance of facilities and operations.

The area visited is divided into several areas: Africa, Ancient Near East, Asia, Egypt, Greece and Rome, the Americas, coins, prints and drawings, prehistory, Britain in Roman times and Europe. It certainly can not expect to be able to visit and appreciate the whole museum in one day, so if you do not have much time I will suggest you the most interesting rooms.

The visit can not start from the fascinating Egypt, with a room dedicated to mummies of humans and animals of all sizes and all well preserved (rooms 62-63). Highlights of the collection are: the golden coffin Henutmehyt, priestess of the New Kingdom,  chorister at the service of Amun, which was found in Thebes, Egypt. And of course the legendary Rosetta Stone (room 4), the key that has enabled cryptographers to decipher the hieroglyphs.

In room 18 you can admire the original Parthenon friezes, bas-reliefs of impressive beauty. The hall is home to 34 beautiful objects, including ceramic vases and decorative tiles, Islamic art from the beginning of its history, from a wide area between Egypt and India. The most valuable items are from the zone between Iraq and Iran.

Of course there had to be Italian archaeological finds, dating from pre-Roman and Roman period. Of particular beauty is the famous Portland vase, found in Rome, built between the first century BC and the first century d.C.. Its fame is also due to an unfortunate incident: a visitor broke into 200 pieces and only a Carthusian work has allowed him back the original appearance.

The British Museum also boasts the world’s largest collection of coins and banknotes, with a full presentation on display at the HSBC Money Gallery (Room 68), stands out among them our “hundred bucks” for a time, with the nice big face of Caravaggio. But the highlights are the tools for the minting of coins and all the world.

Worthy of attention is the Korea Gallery (Room 67) which contains the largest collection of Koreans outside the homeland, including the typical home (a size) of a scholar named sarangbang. The gallery examines the various ways in which Korean culture is a connecting link between the development of Chinese civilization (Room 33) and Japan (Sale 91 to 94).
Beautiful ethnographic collections, especially the one dedicated to the Mayas and the Aztecs with precious artifacts (room 27) and to the American Indians with its majestic totem (Room 26), which for me were a complete novelty.

Not long ago we launched a new initiative which allows visitors to touch some minor objects in the collection, of course under the supervision of one of the custodians of the museum, explaining the origin and use of the object. This initiative is very interesting that could bring the public closer to the culture.

Throughout 2005, the year that London dedicated to Africa, the museum hosts a special exhibition dedicated to this continent until 3 April you can visit the exhibition called “Made in Africa enables visitors to admire the oldest objects in the Museum: Rocks dating processed at two million years ago,  tools used to cut wood and meat and are the first stage of human evolution. And for fans of Egyptology, until 14 August is also possible to attend to payment with 3D movies in the “Mummy: The Inside Story” that reveal the secrets of the mummy of Nesperennub, transformed into a “virtual mummy” thanks X-ray

Earlier this year has also added an area dedicated to the areas affected by the tsunami on 26 December last year, with works dating from 8th century AD to this day.
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The British Museum
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DG
Tel +44 (0) 20 7323 8000
information@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk

Opening of the Museum
Saturday – Wednesday 10:00 to 17:30
Thursday – Friday 10:00 to 20:30
The museum is within walking distance from subway stops to Holborn, Tottenham Court Road, Russell Square, Goodge St and numerous bus stops. Exit from the subway, follow the directions, but they are not very clear. The museum is about 5 / 7 minutes from any of these stops.

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You can also enjoy a guided tour lasting 90 minutes, available every day and starting at 10.30, 13.00, 15.00.
Price: Adults £ 8, £ 5 for children under 11 years, students in possession of the document.