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
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
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 © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Sculptures and flag above the main entrance. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Sculptures above the main entrance. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Columns at the main entrance. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
A marble bust of Mrs. Anne Seymour Damer (1748-1828) by Giuseppe Cerrachi (1751-1801) dated to around 1777. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
The Granite sphinx of Taharqo (circa 690-664 BC, Egypt). Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Decorative gold valuables. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Ornately painted plates. Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
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 © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
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 © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com
Photo © David Coleman / HaveCameraWillTravel.com[/caption]
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I'm a freelance travel photographer based in Washington DC. Seven continents, up mountains, underwater, and a bunch of places in between. My images have appeared in numerous publications, and you can check out some of my gear reviews and tips here. More »