The British Museum was the world’s first national public museum, and its founding principle has never changed: free entry for everyone, forever. Opened in 1759, it now holds around eight million objects spanning two million years of human history, from the Rosetta Stone to the Parthenon sculptures, inside a grand neoclassical building in Bloomsbury. It’s one of London’s genuinely essential stops — both because the collection is extraordinary, and because, unlike almost every other attraction of this scale in the city, walking through the door costs nothing at all.

History of the British Museum

Sir Hans Sloane and the Founding Collection (1753)

The museum’s origins trace back to the physician and naturalist Sir Hans Sloane, who spent much of his life amassing an enormous personal collection of books, manuscripts, natural specimens and antiquities — more than 71,000 objects by the time of his death in 1753. Rather than see the collection broken up and sold, Sloane bequeathed it to the nation on condition that Parliament pay his heirs a sum far below its true value. Parliament agreed, and an Act of Parliament in 1753 established the British Museum as a result — making it the world’s first national public museum, free to enter and open to “all studious and curious persons.” It opened to the public in Montagu House, Bloomsbury, on 15 January 1759.

The Rosetta Stone and the Age of Empire

The museum’s collection expanded enormously through the 18th and 19th centuries, largely through acquisitions tied to Britain’s imperial and diplomatic reach. The Rosetta Stone arrived in 1802, seized by British forces from the French in Egypt under the terms of the Treaty of Alexandria; its trilingual inscription later allowed scholars to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs for the first time. The sculptures now known as the Parthenon Marbles were removed from the Acropolis in Athens by Lord Elgin in the early 1800s and acquired by the museum in 1816. Both remain among the museum’s most visited objects, and both remain subjects of long-running, unresolved debates over repatriation — Greece has formally requested the return of the Parthenon sculptures for decades, and Egypt has raised similar questions about the Rosetta Stone, questions the museum and UK government have not resolved.

The Museum Outgrows Montagu House

By the early 19th century, the original Montagu House was too small for the growing collection. The architect Sir Robert Smirke designed the grand neoclassical building seen today, constructed in phases between 1823 and 1852, with its famous colonnaded entrance completed in 1852. The circular Reading Room at the centre of the building, designed by Robert Smirke’s brother Sydney and completed in 1857, became one of the world’s great research libraries, used over the following century by readers including Karl Marx and George Bernard Shaw.

The Great Court and the Modern Museum

For most of the 20th century, the space around the Reading Room sat as an underused courtyard, closed off from public use. In 2000, the architect Norman Foster completed a major redevelopment, roofing the courtyard with a striking lattice of 3,312 uniquely shaped glass panes to create the Great Court — now the largest covered public square in Europe, and the museum’s central hub for orientation, dining and events.

The British Museum Today

The museum remains free to enter and, in 2026, is having what its own trustees describe as the biggest year in its history, with around 7.5 million visitors expected — driven substantially by the arrival of the Bayeux Tapestry, on loan from France for the first time in nearly 1,000 years. The museum operates as an exempt charity and non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, governed by a board of trustees rather than run directly by government.

Current Exhibitions at the British Museum

The permanent collection is always free, but the British Museum also runs major ticketed exhibitions in its Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery, alongside smaller free displays throughout the year. The headline exhibition through 2026 and into 2027 is The Bayeux Tapestry (10 September 2026 – 11 July 2027) — the first time the 70-metre, nearly 1,000-year-old embroidery depicting the Norman Conquest has left France to be displayed in England. Demand has been extraordinary: the first ticket release sold out within a day of going on sale, and the museum has confirmed further phased releases (the next covering January–March 2027) rather than opening ongoing walk-up access. If seeing it is a priority for your visit, book as far in advance as the museum’s release schedule allows rather than assuming you can turn up on the day.

Other exhibitions running alongside it through 2026 include a display marking the 250th anniversary of the United States (30 June–29 November 2026) and an exhibition on Korean art and culture (1 October 2026–31 January 2027). Because the exhibition programme changes throughout the year, it’s worth checking the museum’s own Exhibitions and Events page shortly before your visit for exact current listings and ticket availability, since paid exhibitions require separate, timed booking on top of (or instead of) general admission.

Visiting the British Museum: Practical Information

Verified against the official British Museum website, checked 4 September 2026.

Working Hours

The galleries are open daily, 10.00–17.00, with last entry at 16.45. On Fridays, the museum stays open late until 20.30, with last entry at 20.15 — a genuinely good option for a quieter, less crowded visit. The Great Court itself stays open slightly later, until 17.30 on standard days. Galleries begin clearing up to 10 minutes before the stated closing time, and the museum is closed on 24, 25 and 26 December.

Is Entry Free?

Yes — the British Museum is free to enter, and always has been since 1759, for the entire permanent collection. This has never changed, and is written into the museum’s founding purpose rather than being a promotional offer. Visitors are strongly advised to book a free timed entry slot online in advance, both to receive visit updates and for priority entry during busy periods, but walk-up visits without a booking are also available each day, subject to capacity. The only things you pay for are separate: special ticketed exhibitions (such as the Bayeux Tapestry), certain guided tours, and food and retail.

British Museum Entry Tickets

Book your free general admission ticket directly through britishmuseum.org, selecting a preferred date and entry time slot; if your chosen slot has no availability, walk-up entry is still generally possible on the day. Separately, any paid special exhibition — including the Bayeux Tapestry — needs its own timed ticket booked in advance; general admission does not include access to these. Group visits of 10 or more people must book a dedicated group ticket rather than individual free slots.

Address & Nearest Station

The museum’s address is Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3DG. The nearest Underground stations are Russell Square (Piccadilly line, about 8 minutes’ walk), Tottenham Court Road (Central, Northern, Elizabeth lines, about 8 minutes’ walk) and Holborn (Central, Piccadilly lines, about 10 minutes’ walk). Numerous bus routes, including the 1, 8, 19, 25, 38 and 55, stop nearby on New Oxford Street and Great Russell Street.

Restaurant in the British Museum

The Great Court Restaurant, on the upper floor overlooking the Great Court’s glass roof, is the museum’s main sit-down dining option, serving lunch and a bookable afternoon tea daily from 11.30, with the last afternoon tea sitting at 16.00. Afternoon tea in particular is popular enough that advance booking is genuinely necessary rather than optional. For something quicker, the ground-floor Court Cafés serve sandwiches, snacks, salads and hot and cold drinks, and stay open until 20.00 on late Friday evenings. The museum operates on an essentially cashless basis, so bring a card rather than relying on cash.

How Long to Allow

A focused highlights visit — the Rosetta Stone, the Egyptian galleries, the Parthenon sculptures and the Great Court — can be done in around two hours, but the museum easily rewards a full day, and most Londoners who visit repeatedly still find galleries they haven’t properly explored. Arriving right at 10.00 opening, or during Friday’s late hours, is the most reliable way to beat the crowds around the most popular objects.

Accessibility

The British Museum is broadly step-free and accessible, with wheelchairs available to borrow, accessible toilets throughout, and detailed accessibility information published on the museum’s own site covering specific routes and gallery access. There’s no general on-site parking for standard visitors; only limited Blue Badge parking is available and must be booked in advance.

Managing Body

The British Museum is an exempt charity and non-departmental public body, governed by a board of trustees and sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport rather than run directly by any single government department. Its free-entry principle is set out in the same 1753 Act of Parliament that founded it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the British Museum free?

Yes, the British Museum is free to enter for its entire permanent collection, and has been since it opened in 1759. Booking a free timed slot online is recommended but not required; walk-up entry is available each day. Paid special exhibitions, such as the Bayeux Tapestry, are separate and do require a ticket.

What are the working hours for the British Museum?

The galleries are open daily 10.00–17.00, last entry 16.45. On Fridays the museum stays open until 20.30, last entry 20.15. The museum is closed 24–26 December.

Do I need to book British Museum entry tickets in advance?

It’s recommended but not strictly required for general admission — booking a free timed slot online guarantees priority entry during busy periods, but walk-up visits are typically available each day. Paid special exhibitions, including the Bayeux Tapestry, do require advance timed booking with no walk-up access.

Is there a restaurant in the British Museum?

Yes. The Great Court Restaurant serves lunch and a bookable afternoon tea daily from 11.30 (last sitting 16.00), and the ground-floor Court Cafés offer quicker options including sandwiches and hot drinks. The museum is largely cashless, so bring a card.

What exhibition is on at the British Museum right now?

The headline 2026 exhibition is the Bayeux Tapestry (10 September 2026 – 11 July 2027), on loan from France for the first time in nearly 1,000 years, alongside a US 250th-anniversary display and a Korean art and culture exhibition opening in October 2026. Check the museum’s own Exhibitions and Events page for exact current listings, since the programme changes through the year.

How long does it take to see the British Museum?

A focused highlights visit takes around two hours, but the museum comfortably fills a full day. Arriving at 10.00 opening or during Friday’s late hours is the best way to see the most popular galleries without heavy crowds.

The British Museum sits within easy walking distance of other central London landmarks worth combining into the same day. See our Museums & Galleries guides for more of London’s collections, and our England guide for the wider country whose history fills these galleries.