Summary
You can’t see it all in a short visit, so where do you begin? The British Museum is massive and overwhelming. It tells the story of human civilization from its earliest days right up to the present. With 8 million objects in the collection and tens of thousands on display at any one time, what should you try to see if you’ve got a day or just a few hours to visit it?
01. The Rosetta Stone
What is it? It was the key to unlocking the mysteries of Egyptian hieroglyphics. The Rosetta Stone is a decree passed by Egyptian priests on the first anniversary of the coronation of the Pharaoh, Ptolemy V. The decree is written in hieroglyphics, in demotic or everyday Egyptian, and in Greek. By comparing the three languages on the tablet, scholars were finally able to translate Egyptian hieroglyphics.
How did it come to the British Museum? The stone was discovered in 1799, during the Napoleonic Wars, by French soldiers digging the foundation of a fortress in El-Rashid (Rosetta). The British acquired it, along with other Egyptian antiquities, under the terms of the Treaty of Alexandria when Napoleon was defeated. It has been displayed at the British Museum since 1802, with a brief time in a deep tunnel under London during WWII.
Where to see it: Find it in ground floor gallery 4. It is one of the museum’s selections of “A History of the World in 100 Objects.”
02. The Portland Vase
What is it? The Portland Vase is a cameo glass vessel, probably made in Rome between AD 5 and 25. It may have been a wedding gift because the pictures depict love, marriage, and sex. The scenes were probably carved by a gem cutter. In the 18th century, Josiah Wedgwood copied the vase, which made the original Portland Vase world-famous. The amazing copy can be seen in the Wedgwood Museum at The World of Wedgwood in Barlaston, Stoke on Trent.
How did it come to the British Museum? The history of the vase is unclear. It was recorded in a cardinal’s collection in 1601 and later belonged to an Italian noble family for 150 years. In 1778, Sir William Hamilton acquired it and eventually sold it to the Dowager Duchess of Portland. It was loaned to the British Museum in 1810 and ultimately purchased by the museum in 1945.
Where to see it: It’s in the Roman Empire exhibit, Room 70 on the Upper Floor.
03. The Cat Mummies
What is it? The British Museum has a very fine collection of mummies, including elaborate wrappings and clothing in some cases. The cat mummies reflect the later Egyptian period, possibly the 1st century. Cats were associated with the goddess Bastet, and it’s likely that young cats were mummified for burial in special cat cemeteries.
How did it come to the British Museum? Many cat cemeteries were destroyed before archaeologists could study them. In the 19th century, a shipment of 180,000 cat mummies was sent to Britain for processing into fertilizer! The British Museum has several examples, including one gifted from the Egypt Exploration Fund.
Where to see it: Look for the Cat Mummy and a collection of human mummies in the Egyptian Room, Gallery 62-63 on the Upper Floor.
04. Colossal Granite Head of Amenhotep III
What is it? A gigantic head (about 9 1/2 feet tall, weighing 4 tons) of Amenhotep III, a pharaoh who ruled between 1390 and 1325 BC. This piece was originally part of the temple of Mut in Karnak, Egypt. The features were later recarved for Ramses II to represent his own ideals, including the modification of lips.
How did it come to the British Museum? The head was discovered before 1817 and purchased by the museum in 1823 from British archaeologist Henry Salt who found it in a Cairo warehouse.
Where to see it: See it in Room 4 on the Ground Floor.
05. The Sutton Hoo Ship Burial Helmet
What is it? The most iconic object from the Sutton Hoo site, an incredibly rich and undisturbed ship burial of a wealthy Anglo-Saxon individual, probably a king, dating from early 7th century East Anglia. Objects from the burial include a hoard of coins and intricately worked objects of gold, jewels, and leather.
How did it come to the British Museum? Discovered by archaeologist Basil Brown in 1939, the Sutton Hoo Burial was excavated from the largest of 18 mounds on a Suffolk estate. When found, the helmet had been crushed by the collapse of the mound and was in 500 pieces. It was restored in 1947 and reassembled in 1968 based on later research.
Where to see it: The assembled mask, along with other treasures from the burial, is located in the World of Sutton Hoo exhibit in Room 2 on the Ground Floor.
06. The Lewis Chessmen
What is it? A large group of chess pieces carved from walrus ivory and whalebone during the 12th century. The pieces are attributed to various craftsmen — Icelandic, English, Scottish, and Norse. They are believed to have been made in Norway and hidden by a merchant during transport to Ireland. They even appeared in the “Harry Potter” films as part of a chess scene.
How did it come to the British Museum? The chessmen were found buried near Uig on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides in 1831. Initially shown at the Scottish Antiquaries Society, they were not purchased until acquired by the British Museum. Currently, 82 of the 93 existing pieces are in the British Museum.
Where to see it: The chess set is in Room 40, the Medieval Room, on the Upper Floor.
07. Hoa Hakananai’a – The Easter Island Statue
What is it? An original Easter Island ancestor statue made of basalt. The name Hoa Hakananai’a translates to “Stolen or Hidden Friend” and was likely carved around A.D. 1200.
How did it come to the British Museum? Acquired by Commodore Richard Ashmore Powell during an expedition in 1869, the statue was taken from a ceremonial center in Orongo, Rapa Nui, and presented to Queen Victoria, who donated it to the museum.
Where to see it: The statue is part of the Living and Dying exhibition in Room 24 on the Ground Floor.
08. The Elgin Marbles
What is it? The Elgin Marbles are a series of friezes and sculptures originally part of the Parthenon on the Acropolis in Greece. They are controversial, as the Greek government campaigns for their return, especially since the New Acropolis Museum was built to house them. The British Museum argues they are safer in London.
How did it come to the British Museum? Acquired by Lord Elgin between 1801 and 1805, these marbles were intended to preserve them from the destruction that took place when the Ottoman Turks used the Parthenon as a gunpowder store. Faced with financial difficulties upon his return to England, Elgin sold them to Parliament, which then passed them to the British Museum.
Where to see it: The suite of marbles has a dedicated gallery. See the Parthenon Marbles in Room 18 on the Ground Floor.
09. Aztec Double-Headed Serpent
What is it? A double-headed snake made of wood, adorned with turquoise mosaics and decorated with shell. It is an example of Mexica (Aztec) art and is approximately 17 inches wide and 8 inches high. It likely served as a ceremonial breastplate and dates from the 15th or 16th century.
How did it come to the British Museum? Acquired by the museum from a collector in 1894.
Where to see it: It can be found in Room 27, the Mexico Room, on the Ground Floor.
10. The Vindolanda Tablets
What is it? Vindolanda is a Roman fort near Hadrian’s Wall. The tablets discovered during excavations are letters written by Roman soldiers and their families, showcasing everyday life and personal interactions. Notably, the birthday invitation from Claudia Severa to Sulpicia Lepidina is one of the earliest examples of handwriting in Britain, also illustrating the role of women in early Latin writing.
How did it come to the British Museum? The tablets were preserved in waterlogged conditions and were discovered during ongoing excavations. They were purchased by the British Museum in 1986 from the Vindolanda Trust. More tablets have since been discovered at the site.
Where to see it: The Vindolanda Tablets are located in Room 49, Roman Britain, on the Upper Floor.
