Explore History: British Museum's Rosetta, Mummies & More

Dive into a world of ancient artifacts and timeless stories at the British Museum, one of the world's oldest and most revered museums. This expertly guided tour allows you to explore the museum's most celebrated treasures with an experienced, licensed guide, unveiling the wonders of history, culture, and human achievement that the British Museum holds within its walls. Our journey begins in the Great Court, the stunning atrium crowned by a remarkable glass and steel roof that fills the space with natural light. Designed by architect Norman Foster, the Great Court is itself a masterpiece and the largest covered square in Europe, creating a breathtaking entry to the museum’s vast collections. Beneath this soaring ceiling lies the iconic Reading Room, once used by famous historical figures like Karl Marx, providing the perfect introduction to the grandeur and influence of this institution. Next, we’ll move to one of the most iconic artifacts in the museum: the Rosetta Stone. This world-famous slab of stone, discovered in 1799, holds the key to understanding Egyptian hieroglyphs, unlocking the mysteries of ancient Egyptian writing for scholars worldwide. Your guide will share the fascinating story of how this stone, inscribed with text in three different scripts, came to be one of the museum's most treasured items and how its discovery transformed our understanding of ancient Egypt. From here, we’ll make our way to the Parthenon sculptures, a collection of breathtaking marble statues and friezes once part of the Parthenon in Athens. Known as the “Elgin Marbles,” these artifacts were controversially removed from Greece by Lord Elgin, the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire in the early 19th century. Your guide will provide an in-depth look into their rich historical context, as well as the ongoing debate over their rightful home. As you marvel at these stunning depictions of gods, heroes, and mythical battles, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the art and culture of ancient Greece. Continuing to the Ancient Egyptian galleries, you'll encounter a collection that’s among the most impressive outside Egypt. Here, the focus shifts to the Egyptian mummies, where you can learn about ancient burial practices and the beliefs that guided them. Stand face-to-face with these remarkably preserved figures and explore the intricate process that allowed them to endure through millennia. From noble pharaohs to sacred animals, the mummies reveal stories of a civilization that held complex views on life, death, and the afterlife. Another fascinating stop on this tour is the Sutton Hoo exhibit. Discovered in 1939, the Sutton Hoo burial site in Suffolk, England, is one of the most significant archaeological finds of the 20th century, shedding light on Anglo-Saxon England.