Get more from your visit to the British Museum

Although it is a well known fact that London hosts some of the greatest museums in the world, their sheer size and scale can sometimes make a visit both daunting and rushed. 

Wooden carvings in the Benin exhibit

The British Museum, however, have managed to combat the traditional whistle top tour of their collection with their free talks. Although every visitor should make an effort to see the highlights of the collection, such as the Rosetta Stone, the Hoa Hakananai'a head from Easter Island and the preserved Iron Age body of the Lindow Man, the tours give tourists the chance to discover the story behind some incredible artifacts which might otherwise be overlooked. With daily 30 minute 'Eye Opener' talks at a wide range of galleries, as well as longer 45 minute lunchtime talks for those working locally, you're bound to find a tour which genuinely interests you. Additionally, for those that want to gain a greater insight into the museum's most famous artifacts, the evening 'spotlight talks' focus on the famous treasures in some of the most popular galleries, and include 'Death in ancient Egypt' and 'The Parthenon.'

Brass head of an Oba

I took out lunch breaks to attend the Ancient Egypt tour and 'Animals in Africa' gallery talk, both of which were highly enjoyable and informative. The groups are small enough to be intimate without feeling awkward, and the tour guides are lively, obviously enjoying what they do. Rather than repeating the facts given on the information boards, the guides add a human element to the artifacts, enthusing the history with quirky tidbits and insider knowledge. I learnt that slaves were often killed after their masters so they could serve them in the afterlife (until the Egyptians cottoned on to the fact that they were killing all their best workers, and decided a little drawing of them would suffice instead), that Oba's, the leaders of the Benin people, claim even to this day to not need food or defecate, and that the Congolese would insert nails into sculptures of animals if they wanted to solve their problems or gain wealth, at the risk of being cursed if they themselves were dishonest or broke a vow. 

Eye Opener talks begin every 15 minutes between 11am and 3:45pm, so you can essentially spend your whole day at the museum being guided around, without parting with the £12 it costs for a 90 minute weekend guided tour.

A wooden complex containing images of power .

I also found that having a tour to go on encouraged me to actually go to the museum as my visit had a greater purpose; so many of my friends constantly say how they should go to free museums and galleries more, so knowing that you have to be there by a certain time for something concrete is real encouragement to just get up and go. Museums can also be great places to meet like minded people, so make the most of your tour group and get chatting to the people around you. As Londoners we're fortunate enough to be able to experience the whole world at our fingertips for free- get out there and find out which talks are happening here.

Splashing out? You can enjoy annual membership to the British Museum for £50, or just £35 if you're under 26. Included in this is free entry to all exhibitions, entry to the brand new members room and the opportunity to go to exclusive events, lectures and members parties. Find out more here.