uk museum virtual tour

Virtual tours

Wherever you are in the world, take a tour of the National Gallery.

Our virtual tours allow you to step inside the Gallery and explore one of the greatest collections of paintings, from the comfort of your home.

Experience the Gallery in virtual reality through your desktop, phone or VR headset.

The Director's Choice virtual exhibition

Visit a virtual space showing a selection of paintings chosen and narrated by our Director, Dr Gabriele Finaldi.

Take the Director's tour

Fit for a Queen virtual exhibition

Visit our virtual gallery of 28 paintings which celebrates Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Find out more about 'Fit for a Queen'

Fruits of the Spirit virtual exhibition

Visit our virtual exhibition that juxtaposes nine works of art from the National Gallery’s collection with nine works of art from partner institutions across the UK.

Find out more about 'Fruits of the Spirit'

'Sensing the Unseen: Step into Gossaert’s ‘Adoration’, mobile edition'

Immerse yourself in the world of Gossaert’s masterpiece and its awe-inspiring intricate detail.

Step into Gossaert's 'Adoration'

Google virtual tour

Take a tour of some of our Renaissance masterpieces with Google

Take the tour

British Museum London, United Kingdom

The British Museum’s remarkable collection spans over two million years of human history and culture. Over 6 million visitors every year experience the collection, including world-famous objects such as the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures, and Egyptian mummies.

Discover our interactive experience The Museum of the World

A Journey: Conserving the Atlas of Joseph Russegger’s seminal publication Reisen in Europa, Asien und Africa etc. (1842-1849)

British museum, the ballcourts of chichén itzá, buddhist art in myanmar, containing the divine: a sculpture of the pacific god a'a, john harrison's horological legacy, egypt: faith after the pharaohs, the mold cape, the russegger atlas, the ancient maya at the british museum, celtic life in iron age britain, poetry and exile, social fabric: african textiles today, celebrating ganesha, bonaparte and the battle of waterloo, 1066: the year that changed england, exploring the maya ruins of quiriguá, guatemala, yucatán today, untangling maya glyphs, traditional jewellery and dress from the balkans, in this collection, alfred maudslay, 1,680 items, archaeology, 1,008 items, 7,350 items, 2 museum views, what's on.

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Book your free admission ticket now  to visit the museum. Schools and groups can book free tickets  here . 

Virtual tour of the Science Museum

Even when the museum is closed, our collection—and the inspirational stories it contains—remains open to you online.

virtual tours

Take a virtual tour via Google Streetview

Take a look at the Museum as captured by Google Streetview in 2016, including a second chance to see our blockbuster exhibition Cosmonauts.

Watch curator gallery guides

Let our curators guide you round our major galleries in this series of short videos.

Our Collection

Explore over 325,000 objects and archives from the collection of the Science Museum Group.

SOKOL space suit 

Sokol-KV-2 rescue suit worn by Helen Sharman during the Juno mission to the Mir space station, 1991.

Find out more about Helen's space suit

'Jason I', de Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth

In 1930, English aviator Amy Johnson (1903-1941) piloted Jason I to become the first woman to fly solo from Great Britain to Australia.

Find out more about Jason I

Medical kit used by Ernest Shackleton, 1907 

This kit was used by Sir Ernest Shackleton (1874-1922), a British explorer, during the 1907-1909 expedition attempting to locate the South Pole.

Find out more about Shackleton's medical kit

Tracy, a transgenic ewe

Genetically modified to produce a human protein (alpha antitrypsin) in her milk, 1990-97. Alpha antitrypsin was considered a promising treatment for cystic fibrosis and some cases of the lung disease emphysema.

Find out more about Tracy

Crick and Watson's DNA molecular model, 1953

In 1953, the British and American molecular biologists Francis Crick and James Watson worked out the double-helix structure of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), the molecule that acts as a blueprint for all living things. 

Find out more about this model

Aerial tuning inductor, 1943-1966

The Rugby Tuning Coil was used to tune antenna to the right frequency at the Rugby Radio Station. 

Find out more about the Rugby Tuning Coil

Main frame, for Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) pilot model, 1949

A prototype based on British mathematician Alan Turing's designs for an 'automatic computing engine' (ACE), which would have been the world's first general-purpose computer. 

Find out more about ACE

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Discover the extraordinary stories behind familiar objects and technologies we encounter every day.

Lovelace, Turing and the invention of computers

It's hard to imagine a world without computers. How did breakthroughs by mathematicians like Ada Lovelace and Alan Turing make this possible?

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From the first transatlantic telephone cable to the rise of the smartphone, uncover more of the amazing people and stories behind our collection.

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Random object generator

Don't know where to start exploring our collection of over 325,000 objects? Let our random object generator help you out.

Museum in a tab

Download Museum in a Tab, an app that let you explore our incredible collection from your Chrome browser.

3D object scans

Take a close- up look from every angle at a selection of 3D objects from our collection.

Google Arts and Culture online exhibitions

The man-machine: making robots in our image

Cosmonauts: Birth of the Space Age

Superbugs: the fight for our lives

More on Google Arts and Culture

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Explore > Destinations > London > Virtual Tour of London: Museums, Landmarks & Culture

Virtual Tour of London: Museums, Landmarks & Culture

If you hear London calling, but you can’t travel right now, take a virtual tour of London from home. You can peruse The British Museum, walk the grand halls of Buckingham Palace, and watch a performance in Shakespeare’s Globe. All you need is an internet connection. We’ve even curated a list of books and movies set in the city and a playlist of some of London’s greatest musicians. Until you next find yourself in a British pub, here is your virtual travel guide to London.

Virtual Museum Tours in London

London’s vast museums are legendary, and now you can explore them from the comfort of home. See antiquities from around the world like the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies, and the Parthenon Marbles on a virtual tour of the British Museum . Also, be sure to check out the curator corner for fascinating videos about specific objects in the collection.

To get your art fix at the National Gallery , try exploring its collection of masterpieces online. The Courtland Institute of Art provides a high-resolution virtual tour of how the gallery appeared in 2018 before its recent renovation. You can zoom in close enough to see the texture of Van Gough’s brushstrokes on his self-portrait with a bandaged ear and read the plaques describing each piece in the collection.

London’s Natural History Museum gives you 9 ways to explore its collection from home. You can even listen to Sir David Attenborough guide you through Hintze Hall’s specimens including a blue whale skeleton, fossil trees, and a meteorite as old as the solar system.

Virtual Tours of London Landmarks

No trip to London, virtual or otherwise, is complete without checking out some of England’s most iconic sights. Take a virtual tour of the Houses of Parliament , which sit beneath the Big Ben clock tower. At Buckingham Palace , move through the royal residence and click information bubbles to learn more about the furniture, paintings, and history of each room.

You can step further back in time with a narrated 360-degree virtual tour of the Tower of London . Learn about the castle’s bloody history and ogle at the crown jewels housed within. Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre also provides a 360-degree experience of its stage. You can also watch free recordings showcasing a rotating series of performances such as Hamlet , Romeo and Juliet , and A Midsummer Night’s Dream . Or you can rent from a huge catalog of The Bard’s plays.

Explore more of the United Kingdom’s famous landmarks on Expedia’s Things to Do From Home page. Take virtual tours of The National Museum of Computing, Stonehenge, and more.

Books Set in London

If you need a break from screen time, you can take a virtual tour of London old school—with a book. London’s rich literary history gives you plenty of reading material to choose from. Here are a few recommendations:

• Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (fiction, fantasy) – An average Londoner businessman stumbles across a girl bleeding on the sidewalk. When he stops to help, he falls through the cracks of reality into a murky under realm called Neverwhere.
• Londoners by Craig Taylor (non-fiction) – A collection of personal interviews with ordinary people. The full title says it all: Londoners: The Days and Nights of London Now – As Told by Those Who Love It, Hate It, Live It, Left It and Long for It .
• Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (fiction) – A high-society woman prepares to host a party during post World War I London and reflects on how her past has shaped her present.
• Bleak House by Charles Dickens (fiction) – Considered by many to be Dickens’ best, this Victorian novel follows the intertwining stories of both rich and poor in London society.
• London: The Biography by Peter Ackroyd (non-fiction, biography) – A history of London from the time of the Druids to the beginning of the 21 century. Ackroyd provides insight on how the past echos in the present.
• Brick Lane by Monica Ali (fiction) – An immigrant’s view of London as told by the young Nazneen who leaves her home in Bangladesh for an arranged marriage to an older man.

Movies Set in London

From James Bond to Harry Potter, many blockbuster movies have been filmed in and around London . But if you truly want to experience London in all its grit and glory, check out these movies where the city takes center stage.

• 28 Days Later (2002) – A man wakes up from a coma to find London besieged by a zombie apocalypse.
• Love Actually (2003) – This popular Christmas movie classic features a star-studded cast (Hugh Grant, Martine McCutcheon, Liam Neeson, Laura Linney) and 8 intertwined stories about love.
• The King’s Speech (2010) – An Academy Award-winning historical drama about King George VI’s impromptu ascension to the British throne and his struggles to overcome a speech impediment.
• Shaun of the Dead (2005) – Shaun works a dead-end job, has a rocky relationship with his girlfriend, and his flat-mate is a slob. Then, zombies suddenly appear in London. A witty satire that both pays homage to and pokes fun at horror movies.
• Attack the Block (2011) – A street gang of London teens defend their block from an invasion of hostile space aliens.
• A Hard Day’s Night (1964) – The Beatles were from Liverpool, but they filmed this light-hearted musical in London. Follow the famous British band as they evade mobs of fans and live it up in the UK’s capital.

Music from London

To engage more of your senses, why not take a virtual tour of London through the music? We’ve curated a playlist of some of London’s most popular bands of all-time. Listen to artists ranging from Led Zeppelin to The Spice Girls to Adele. Turn up the volume, or plug in your headphones to check out Expedia’s London playlist on Spotify. If classical music is more your style, stream concerts by the London Symphony Orchestra .

For more virtual travel experiences, plan a virtual trip to Rome or take a virtual hike in some of the world’s most beautiful places.

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London Walks | Virtual Tours of London | Daytrips from London

The British Museum Virtual Tour

See the highlights of one of the greatest museums in the world and hear its amazing stories from a former official British Museum tour guide. We choose our favourite objects from across the globe and bring them alive, looking up original locations where they were found and tell their stories.

Contents of this virtual tour :

We choose the highlights of important objects from 5 continents, tell the stories behind them and how they got to the museum.

• the Rosetta stone
• the Egyptian gallery and the bust of Rameses II
• the Parthenon sculptures
• Unwrapping Egyptian mummies
• the Benin bronzes
• the great Roman silver find the Mildenhall Treasure
• Cuneiform and its translation
• The Mayan carvings of blood-letting
• Jewellery fit for an Aztec king

Tour details:

• 1 hour 40 minutes via Zoom
• Multiple dates
• £10 per screen or £12 per group/ family (group/ family can be in two locations on 2 devices)
• Book your tickets via Eventrbrite
• We’ll email you the meeting ID and password on the morning of the tour.

Google reviews of our British Museum virtual tour

“A rivetting tour guide … literally transports us in to the pages of history” I had the privilege of going on the British Museum Highlights Tour and it was like going into a timemachine! Loona is a riveting tour guide and literally transports us into the pages of history with anecdotes, extra information and humour thrown in for good measure! His knowledge is phenomenal and so well researched that the hour and fifteen minutes fly by. He made me feel like I was actually in the museum looking at the exhibits I never thought it would be so much fun! This is a highly recommended virtual tour, complete with your own tour guide! Loya Agarwala

“Head and shoulders above other tours” From my experience Loona’s tours are head and shoulders above other tours. I will definitely be going on more tours with him and am going to enquire about a tailor made tour with him too. Julie Bennett, tour guide

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National Museum of Natural History Virtual Tours

Access the tours.

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History virtual tours allow visitors to take self-guided, room-by-room tours of select exhibits and areas within the museum from their desktop or mobile device. Visitors can also access select collections and research areas at our satellite support and research stations as well as past exhibits no longer on display.

Virtual Tour Tips

• To navigate between adjoining rooms in the tours, click on the blue arrow links on the floor or use the navigation map in the upper right of the presentation screen.
• Look for the camera icon which gives you a close-up view of a particular object or exhibit panel.
• Try zooming in as some of the images are stitched together from individual pictures in order to create very high resolution gigapixel images.

Please note: This tour and these presentations have been tested and should work on all common devices, browsers, and operating systems (using a desktop computer with Windows, Mac, Linux or a mobile device such as an iPhone, iPad, or Android). Functionality and appearance may vary as it will adjust automatically to accommodate the most visitors. While the virtual tour has no advertising, ad blocking software or browser settings that block JavaScript and/or XML may interfere with the functionality of the virtual tour. Please let us know what you think of the tour and how the experience can be improved. Send your feedback to the NMNH Web Team .

Site Credit: Imagery and coding by Loren Ybarrondo

Equipment Used: Professional Nikon digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera bodies and lenses. The photography is typically done using rectilinear lenses with minimized distortion and shooting equirectangular panoramas at 22K pixels on the long side.

Software Used: No authoring software is used. The tours are hand-coded in HTML5 and JavaScript using the krpano graphics library.

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Virtual Travel

A Smithsonian magazine special report

Smart News | March 20, 2020

Ten Museums You Can Virtually Visit

Museums are closing their doors amid the coronavirus crisis, but many offer digital exhibitions visitors can browse from the comfort of home

Nadine Daher

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, museums and cultural institutions across the globe are closing their doors to the public. But while visitors can no longer roam the halls of these institutions, virtual tools and online experiences mean anyone with an internet connection can browse world-class collections from home.

The Smithsonian Institution , of course, has its own array of virtual tours, experiences and educational resources . Among the other experiences on offer: Scroll through an extensive trove of 3-D photographs from the Minneapolis Institute of Art , explore online exhibits from the National Women’s History Museum in Virginia, or admire artistic masterpieces from the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Spain. Additionally, around 2,500 museums and galleries, including the Uffizi Galleries in Florence and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, are offering virtual tours and presenting online collections via the Google Arts and Culture portal.

For those in search of armchair travel inspiration, Smithsonian magazine has compiled a list of ten museums that have found new ways to fulfill their critical mission of cultivating creativity and spreading knowledge.

The Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza

Home to the world’s second largest private collection of art, the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza owns masterpieces by giants of virtually every art movement—to name just a few, Jan van Eyck, Titian, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Picasso and Dalí. To spotlight these artistic treasures, the Madrid museum offers an array of multimedia resources . Users can take a virtual tour of the entire building (or a thematic tour covering such topics as food, sustainability, fashion and even “inclusive love”); browse current and closed exhibits ; and watch behind-the-scenes videos featuring interviews, lectures and technical studies.

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea

Committed to offering a culturally rewarding experience since opening its doors in 2013, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul (MMCA) has established itself as a prominent cultural platform and leader in Korean art. In collaboration with Google Arts and Culture, the MMCA is now offering a virtual tour of its collections. This experience takes visitors through six floors of modern and contemporary art from Korea and around the world. Those seeking an educational walkthrough can follow along by tuning into curator-led recorded tours.

The Anne Frank House

The Anne Frank House , established in cooperation with the famed diarist’s father, Otto, in 1957, strives to inform the public through educational programs and tours of the building where the teenager and her family hid during World War II. To delve deeper into the story detailed in Frank’s diary, online visitors can watch videos about her life; virtually explore the Secret Annex ; look around the house where she lived before going into hiding; and view the Google Arts and Culture exhibition “ Anne Frank: Her Life, Her Diary, Her Legacy .”

The Vatican Museums

Home to some 70,000 artworks and artifacts spanning centuries, continents and mediums, the 5.5-hectare Vatican Museums are among Italy’s finest cultural institutions. Virtual visitors can tour seven different sections of the sprawling complex, enjoying 360-degree views of the Sistine Chapel , perhaps best known for Michelangelo’s ceiling and Last Judgment fresco; Raphael’s Rooms , where the Renaissance artist’s School of Athens resides; and lesser-known but equally sumptuous locations such as the Pio Clementino Museum, the Niccoline Chapel and the Room of the Chiaroscuri.

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

“Since its founding, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum has maintained a belief in the transformative powers of art,” reads the Manhattan museum’s website . “In uncertain times such as these, art can provide both solace and inspiration.”

In a nod to this mission, the Guggenheim , a cultural center and educational institution devoted to modern and contemporary art, has opened up its collections to online visitors. The building itself, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, is an architectural masterpiece; audiences can listen to an audio guide of its history or journey up its spiral halls via a Google Arts and Culture virtual tour . For those who want to take a deeper dive into the museum’s collections, the Guggenheim’s online database features some 1,700 artworks by more than 625 artists.

The London National Gallery

Take a virtual tour of 18 gallery rooms, enjoy a panoramic view of the museum’s halls and click through a wide collection of artistic masterpieces using the National Gallery ’s virtual tools . Based in London, this museum houses more than 2,300 works reflecting the Western European tradition between the 13th and 19th centuries. Collection highlights include Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers and J.M.W Turner’s The Fighting Temeraire .

NASA Research Centers

For those fascinated by space exploration, NASA offers online visitors the chance to take a behind-the-scenes look inside its facilities. Visitors can take virtual tours of the organization’s research centers, where aeronautic technology is developed and tested, and learn more about the functions of different facilities. The online tour of Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, covers 16 locations, including the Flight Research Hangar and the Katherine Johnson Computational Research Facility. The virtual tour of the Glenn Research Center in Ohio, meanwhile, takes visitors inside facilities such as the Supersonic Wind Tunnel, where high speed flight is researched, and the Zero Gravity Research Facility, where microgravity research is conducted.

The National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City

Home to the world’s largest ancient Mexican art collection, in addition to an extensive collection of ethnographic objects, the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City preserves the country’s indigenous legacy and celebrates its cultural heritage. In collaboration with Google Arts and Culture, the museum has made some 140 items available for online visitors to explore from their homes. Among the objects available for viewing are the famous Aztec calendar sun stone and the striking jade death mask of ancient Mayan king Pakal the Great.

San Francisco’s De Young Museum

One of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco , the de Young Museum ’s new copper-clad building in Golden Gate Park combines art with architecture. The collection features a priceless array of American art dating from the 17th to the 21st centuries, as well as artifacts from Africa and Oceania, modern and contemporary art, costumes, and textiles. Through Google Arts and Culture, the de Young offers 11 exhibits, including “ Cult of the Machine ” and “ Ruth Asawa: A Working Life .”

Housed in a large fortress along the banks of Paris’ Seine River, the Louvre regularly tops rankings of the most-visited museums in the world, with millions of visitors flocking to its halls in search of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa , the Venus de Milo and other instantly recognizable artworks. Virtual tours offered by the Louvre include a walkthrough of the Egyptian antiquities wing and a view of the museum’s moat, which was built in 1190 to protect Paris from invaders.

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Nadine Daher | | READ MORE

Nadine Daher is a digital intern at Smithsonian magazine. She is a senior at Northwestern, where she studies journalism and international studies.

14 Of London’s Very Best Virtual Museum And Exhibition Tours

Chances are you’re twiddling your thumbs, aching to go out.

Join the club. But there are still lots of ways you can pass the time, while also feeling like you’re out in the heart of London culture. While there are countless virtual tours that you can dive into around the world , many of the most wonderful online museums, exhibitions and walking tours can be found on London soil. We’ve rounded up some of the best.

1. Greenwich Painted Hall

The beautiful Greenwich Painted Hall only reopened after works a year ago . So, only a lucky percentage have seen it in all its glory in recent years. Nevertheless, keen art-lovers can still catch the marvellous paintings online. You’ll get beautiful 360-degree views of the hall, including the stunning benches, windows and full-wall murals.

Check out Greenwich Hall with the full stunning surfaces right here.

2. British Museum 

View this post on Instagram

Take a scrolling stroll around the British Museum and head through their virtual time-capsule. You’ll make Marty McFly look like a fool with this one, as the tool lets you look at artefacts from as far back as 5000 BC. This site gives you a tour of any year, whether it’s 1400 AD or 2000 BC. It beckons the nation to come out of the lockdown as well-rounded, esteemed historians.

Take the scroll of your life through the British Museum right here.

3. Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum was one of the first London museums to close its doors , before all the others were ordered to follow suit. But, if Ben Stiller taught us anything, it’s that life lives on in museums regardless of human movement inside. The dinosaurs, the blue whales and the scary skulls are all on hand to provide us with a cracking virtual display. The museum’s website gives a host of options on ways to interact with all things natural and historic. The pick of the bunch, however, has to be a guided interactive tour of Hintze Hall led by none other than Sir David Attenborough .

Check out the vast array of museum tour opportunities right here. 

4. Yayoi Kusama’s world-renowned Infinity Rooms, which were due to hit the Tate Modern

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by The Broad (@thebroadmuseum) on Apr 1, 2020 at 7:12pm PDT

Yayoi Kusama’s spectacular Infinity Rooms have gripped the public as they make their way to different stops around the globe. Kusama’s Infinity Rooms are chambers just big enough for three people, filled with stunning beams of light for a unique, individual experience. They were due to hit the Tate Modern on 11 May , but sadly have been halted due to COVID-19. Never fear, Instagram is here. The Broad Museum has provided an interactive view of Kusama’s room via the app , which aims to transport you from your sofa to the radiant glow of infinity.

5. Jack The Ripper walking tour

Take yourself out to the spooky spots that Jack The Ripper once roamed through… all from the safety of your own home. In this thrilling tour, you’ll learn about London’s most notorious serial killer, his victims and even investigate other alleged perpetrators. The historical tour displays the Whitechapel crime scenes and lets you draw up your own conclusions about the never-caught killer himself. It’s the most detailed and all-consuming virtual tour you can experience from lockdown.

Find out more about the spooky tour and grab your tickets right here.

6. The Postal Museum

As the magic of the  Postal Museum  remains behind closed doors due to the coronavirus, virtual visitors are able to hop on board the museum’s star attraction: the famous Mail Rail. “Passengers” on the virtual tour will explore the hidden subterranean world of the 100-year-old Post Office Railway, chugging its way through the original tunnels.

Read all about it and get involved here.

7. The National Gallery

The National Gallery provides detailed virtual tours of their different wings. See everything from early renaissance paintings, to 360-degree views of Holstein and Titian. It’s a world to get lost in and immerse yourself in the best art the capital has to offer.

Check out the virtual tours of The National Gallery on offer here.

8. The London Transport Museum

If you’ve got time to kill, this is an excellent, detailed walking tour of the London Transport Museum. As it was filmed this time last year, the crowds in the museum might make you pine for the days where you could join them. It’s a great way to get to grips with London’s historic travel company.

9. Houses of Parliament

While they’re normally bellowing away here, even the MPs are mostly working from home. No matter how you feel they’re handling this ongoing crisis, it doesn’t mean you can’t get a feel for the historic buildings they normally grace. This 360-degree virtual tour lets you wander through the Commons, the Lords and the lobbies, halls and galleries that make up the Houses Of Parliament.

Check out the Houses Of Parliament virtual tour here.

10. Buckingham Palace State Tour Rooms

As it’s the Queen’s birthday this week (April 21), it would be remiss of us not to let you know about the Buckingham Palace virtual tours . Check out the majestic throne room, the grand staircase, the drawing-room and much more. Truly the most royal you can feel at a time like this.

Check out the Buckingham Palace State Room tours right here.

11.  Courtauld Gallery

The Courtauld Gallery has past experience in getting this kind of thing to work. It closed its doors temporarily in September 2018, and offered viewers a virtual tour. This has, of course, come in handy for the current situation. Anyone can gawk at the beautiful work of Manet, Van Gogh and plenty more with a virtual display of every single room.

Check out the full Courtauld Gallery tour right here.

12.  Saatchi Gallery’s ‘Tutanhkamun: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh‘ exhibit

The Tutankhamun exhibit was one of the hottest tickets in town prior to lockdown—and one of the final chances to see the artefacts before their permanent move to Cairo’s Grand Egyptian Museum—so news of the online tour is welcome indeed. The gallery invites you to “Enter The Tomb” where you’re able to check out prized artefacts such as vases, coffinettes, and statues.

13. Andy Warhol at Tate Modern

Mainly down to the brilliant weather that London has so typically experienced as soon as everyone got forced inside, this is one that hurts a lot. A day out on the sunny Southbank topped off by cooling down at this Andy Warhol exhibition sounds like complete heaven. Nonetheless, the Tate Modern has ensured that we don’t completely miss out. A full video of the excellent Andy Warhol exhibition can be found online, along with a detailed commentary that explores the exhibition room by room.

14.  NOW Gallery’s “Slices Of Time” installation

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by emmanuelle moureaux (@emmanuellemoureaux) on Feb 3, 2020 at 2:50pm PST

Before the forced closures, NOW Gallery housed Emmanuele Moureaux’s first large-scale installation in the UK. Luckily though, the free exhibition, dubbed “Slices Of Time”, can still be found online. It’s the most brightly-coloured display on this list and is inspired by the artist’s time living in Tokyo among the neon lights. Slices Of Time takes on Moureaux’s invented concept of  shikiri,  which means ‘dividing space with colour’. The exhibition is a sight to behold and it’s available here for free .

See also:  The Netherlands’ Breathtaking Tulip Fields Are In Full Bloom, And You Can Explore Them Virtually

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These 12 Famous Museums Offer Virtual Tours You Can Take on Your Couch

Experience the best museums — from London to Seoul — from the comfort of your own home.

While there's nothing like setting foot inside an iconic museum and laying eyes on a world-famous sculpture created by a renowned artist centuries ago, it's not always possible to hop on a plane to New York City , Paris, or Florence to tour the gallery halls in person.

But there is a way to get a little culture and education while you're at home, gaining inspiration and intel for future trips as well. Google Arts & Culture has teamed up with more than 1,200 museums and galleries around the world to bring anyone and everyone virtual tours and online exhibits of some of the most famous museums around the world.

You get to "go to the museum" and never have to leave your couch.

Google Arts & Culture's collection includes The British Museum in London, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Guggenheim in New York City, and literally hundreds more places where you can gain knowledge about art, history, and science.

Take a look at just some of Google's top museums that are offering online tours and exhibits. And if you're seeking more thoughtful inspiration from the comfort of your own home, museums around the world are sharing their most zen art on social media . Or, for a dose of nature, you can go "outside" with incredible virtual tours of some of America's best national parks .

The British Museum, London

This iconic museum located in the heart of London allows virtual visitors to tour the Great Court and discover the ancient Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies. You can also find hundreds of artifacts on The Museum of the World interactive website, a collaboration between The British Museum and Google Cultural Institute.

Guggenheim, New York

Google's Street View feature lets visitors tour the Guggenheim's famous spiral staircase without ever leaving home. From there, you can discover incredible works of art from the impressionist, post-impressionist, modern, and contemporary eras.

National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

This famous American art museum features two online exhibits through Google. The first is an exhibit of American fashion from 1740 to 1895, including many renderings of clothes from the colonial and Revolutionary eras. The second is a collection of works from Dutch baroque painter Johannes Vermeer.

Musée d’Orsay, Paris

You can virtually walk through this popular gallery that houses dozens of famous works from French artists who worked and lived between 1848 and 1914. Get a peek at artworks from Monet, Cézanne, and Gauguin, among others.

Don Eim/Travel + Leisure

National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul

One of Korea's popular museums can be accessed from anywhere around the world. Google's virtual tour takes you through six floors of contemporary art from Korea and all over the globe.

Pergamon Museum, Berlin

As one of Germany's largest museums, Pergamon has a lot to offer — even if you can't physically be there . This historical museum is home to plenty of ancient artifacts including the Ishtar Gate of Babylon and, of course, the Pergamon Altar.

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Explore masterpieces from the Dutch Golden Age, including works from Vermeer and Rembrandt. Google offers a Street View tour of this iconic museum, so you can feel as if you're actually wandering its halls.

Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Anyone who's a fan of this tragic, ingenious painter can see his works up close (or, almost up close ) by virtually visiting this museum, home to the largest collection of artworks by Vincent van Gogh, including more than 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and 750 personal letters.

The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

European artworks from as far back as the eighth century can be found in this California art museum. Take a Street View tour to discover a huge collection of paintings, drawings, sculptures, manuscripts, and photographs.

Uffizi Gallery, Florence

This less well-known gallery houses the art collection of one of Florence's most famous families, the de' Medicis. The building was designed by Giorgio Vasari in 1560 specifically for Cosimo I de' Medici, but anyone can wander its halls from anywhere in the world .

MASP, São Paulo

The Museu de Arte de São Paulo is a nonprofit and Brazil's first modern museum. Artworks placed on clear, raised frames make it seem like they're hovering in midair. Take a virtual tour to experience the wondrous display for yourself.

National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City

Built in 1964, this museum is dedicated to the archaeology and history of Mexico's pre-Hispanic heritage. There are 22 exhibit rooms filled with ancient artifacts, including some from the Maya civilization.

Not all popular art museums and galleries are included in Google Arts & Culture's collection, but some have taken it upon themselves to offer online visits. For example, the Louvre offers virtual tours on its website .

To see more of Google Arts & Culture's collection of museums, visit its website . There are thousands of museum Street Views on Google as well. Google Arts & Culture also has an online experience for exploring famous historic and cultural heritage sites .

Related Articles

Top 10 virtual tours: see museums and the world without leaving home

Stuck at home? You can still enjoy amazing sights and experiences

Many of the world’s most iconic locations now offer virtual tours, meaning you can visit museums, world heritage sites and other attractions from the comfort of your couch. You don’t need a VR headset , either, although some attractions do support virtual reality for a more immersive experience.

So if you’re looking for things to do at home, and in need of a change of scenery, simply grab your laptop, tablet or phone, and join us on a world tour filled with history, nature and – of course – technology.

1. Machu Picchu, Andes Mountains, Peru

A simply stunning UNESCO World Heritage site, Machu Picchu is a visual wonder that just has to be seen. You no longer need to fly all the way to Peru to see it in all its glory, however, as the virtual tour is comprehensive, immersive, and filled with fascinating insights.

With 360-degree views of the ruins of Inca settlements and lush green landscapes, you can visit every popular vantage point and learn more about the history of the famous site thanks to a helpful voice narrator. OK, you can’t feel the warm breeze around you, but if you turn on the heat and have a handy desk fan set to low, it’s almost as good as the real thing. Almost.

Behold the marvel : Machu Picchu

2. The Louvre Museum, Paris

An attraction visited by millions of tourists in person every year, the Louvre Museum has also created a selection of virtual tours based on its permanent collections. Explore Egyptian antiquities, the Remains of the Louvre’s Moat, and the decorative arts of the Galerie d’Apollon. 

The tour is easy to navigate, with an expandable minimap that lets you highlight exhibits to view with just a couple of clicks. You can also find out more about each room in The Louvre, with detailed descriptions that will probably make the room you’re actually sitting in feel frightfully dull in comparison. 

Take a trip: Louvre Museum

3. The National Museum of Computing, Milton Keynes, UK

The National Museum of Computing contains the world’s largest collection of working historic computers. That means one of them probably runs Microsoft Vista and is still working...

The museum features a fantastic, intuitive, virtual 3D tour. You can zoom in on each exhibit’s details, and find out more about every aspect of computing history, such as the world’s oldest working digital computer. Impressive stuff.

Discover a digital treasure trove: The National Museum of Computing

4. Georgia Aquarium, Georgia, USA

Nothing beats the beauty of nature, so it’s good to know you can still get your daily dose of “aww” from the safety of your sofa. The Georgia Aquarium has over 50 species ranging from sea lions to underwater puffins, with many available to view via webcam. There’s also a daily and weekly livestream that’s aimed at piquing children’s interest in animals, and a great at-home educational tool if you want to entertain the little ones. 

Ever wondered what a Beluga Whale gets up to in its spare time? Just click on the link below and find out. Water-way to have a good time. 

Sea more: Georgia Aquarium

5. A 3-Minute Tour, Tokyo

What if we told you that you could ride in a Tuk Tuk, walk across the famous Shibuya crossing, win a Pikachu from a claw machine, and make friends with a robot… all in under three minutes. That might be physically impossible, but with VR it’s a breeze.

If you’ve ever wanted to take a whistle-stop tour of Japan, the Japan National Tourism Organization has created a 360-degree virtual reality video that lets you do all of the above, and lots more. 

Simply put on a VR headset to experience a surreal thrill ride, where you’ll go from feeding a deer to facing off against a sumo wrestler in a matter of seconds. The video is also viewable in 2D, and well worth a look. 

Check it out below.

6. The British Museum, London

Home to a remarkable collection that spans over two million years of human history and culture, The British Museum has nearly 50 online exhibits to view. From Bonaparte and the Battle of Waterloo to exploring the history of LGBTQ, there’s plenty of informative content to delve into.

For a more interactive experience, check out the Museum of the World tour . You can browse through a large selection of exhibits that are dated by century, continent and category – such as trade and conflict or art and design. Each exhibit offers a detailed description as well as accompanying audio, which helps provide a fascinating backstory to each piece. 

Browse the exhibits: The British Museum

7. The Vatican, Rome

Filled with spectacular architecture and historic monuments, The Vatican is within your virtual reach, with a host of museums providing online tours. Step into the Sistine Chapel and Raphael’s Rooms, which are adorned with simply sensational artwork. 

The tour is compatible with WebVR, so you can pop on a VR headset to get an even closer look at some of mankind’s most memorable creations. It’s truly breathtaking, even when viewed through a screen.  

When in Rome, visit: The Vatican

 8. Musée d’Orsay, Paris

Located in the center of Paris, this historic museum was installed in the former Orsay railway station. It was originally built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900, and displays collections of art from the period 1848 to 1914.

Take a leisurely virtual stroll through the opulent hallways and witness works from dozens of famous French artists, including Monet, Gauguin and Van Gogh. With no other visitors to contend with, you can soak up all the culture on display to your heart’s content – and there’s a lot to soak up. 

Take the tour: Musée d’Orsay

9. Athens Acropolis, Athens

A must-visit destination for history buffs, the Athens Acropolis includes the world-famous Parthenon, and is a cultural hotspot for tourists. Choose between popular sites such as the Theatre of Dionysus and enjoy in-depth videos that provide a fascinating and educational insight into ancient Greece. 

There are plenty of photographs to view and engrossing facts to learn, so don’t be surprised if you become an armchair expert in no time. Now, where’d you put that amphora of wine? 

Get to the Greek: Athens Acropolis

10. The Royal Academy of Arts, London

If you’re amazed by architecture, the Royal Academy of Arts has a virtual tour that will make you go “ooo” and “ahh” for hours. The Sensing Spaces exhibition uses high-quality 360-degree photography to give visitors a taste of its structures and remarkable exhibitions – it really does feel as if you’re actually there. 

Each exhibition is complemented by further information for users to read through, but you’re encouraged to come to your own conclusions, and think about what each space means to you.

Visit the exhibition: Sensing Spaces

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Adam was formerly TRG's Hardware Editor. A law graduate with an exceptional track record in content creation and online engagement, Adam has penned scintillating copy for various technology sites and also established his very own award-nominated video games website. He’s previously worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor and once played Halo 5: Guardians for over 51 hours for charity. He is now an editor at The Shortcut.

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Discover London Through History

Steeped in history: Tea drinking in Britain

From Chinese origins to becoming the UK’s national beverage, the history of tea is deeply entwined with colonial histories of sugar and the East India Company.

Medieval pilgrim shell tokens and St James’ Way

Explore London’s medieval scallop shell relics, symbolising the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage’s lasting enchantment across centuries.

Queen Victoria's chatelaine bags

These chatelaine bags, presumably belonging to Queen Victoria, are testimony to Medieval practicality and the skills of Jewish silversmiths.

Rare books: What makes them special and how to care for them

What makes a book rare? Tips on identifying special books, storage and safe handling techniques to preserve these literary artefacts.

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Virtual tour: Victorian Walk

Explore our Victorian Walk gallery wherever you are – with challenges to do too!

Our immersive Victorian Walk experience recreates the winding streets of 19th-century London. We've captured it in 3D for you to explore!

• Click/touch the white circles on the ground to move
• Click/touch and drag above the ground to rotate your view
• Scroll your mouse wheel/pinch your fingers to zoom in and out.

Do a little window shopping at the toyshop, tobacconist, tailor or pawnbroker and get a taste of life in Victorian London.

Can you complete our six challenges?

You might find it easier if you click here to open a new page showing just these challenges :

1. Find the toy shop

Hint : Start and go forward five times. The sign above says 'TOYSHOP'.

Zoom in to have a good look at what's on display.

If you could buy one thing from the toy shop, what would it be?

What are some of the differences between Victorian toys and toys today?

In Victorian times, children from poorer families would save their money to buy ‘penny toys’.

2. Find the barrel organ

Hint : From the toy shop, turn left, go forward three times, turn left again, go forward once, look to your right.

Children who could not afford toys would make their own entertainment in the streets. They might listen and dance to the music of a barrel organ, which played a melody when someone cranked the handle on the side.

Do you know any other places where Victorian people could listen to music?

What ways can you listen to music today?

3. Find the tea and coffee warehouse

Hint : From the barrel organ, go forwards towards the post box, turn right, go forward. Look up and you should see the sign.

What do you think the large ‘wheel’ outside was used for?

Why do you think tea, coffee and sugar were very expensive in Victorian times?

4. Find a Victorian bicycle

Hint : With the tea and coffee warehouse on your right, go forward twice. It's on your right.

Do you know the proper name for this type of bicycle?

Here's a clue: P _ _ _ Y - F_ _ _ _ _ _ G

How is it different to a modern bicycle?

How do you think people might have got onto it?

The bicycle (or ‘velocipede’) was invented in the Victorian period and became very popular.

5. Find the grocer’s shop

Hint : From the bicycle, turn left and go through the archway, then go forward. It's on your right.

This is where people in Victorian times would buy tinned and dry foodstuffs – the sort of things we would buy from a supermarket or a convenience store today.

• What food can you see on sale?
• Try zooming in to read the labels. What brands can you see?
• Do you recognise any types or makes of food that we still use today?
• If you were shopping in this grocer’s, would you be able to get to what you wanted?
• How is a modern supermarket different?

Tinned food was introduced in the early 19th century and was very expensive at first.

6. Find the fancy stationer’s shop

Hint : With the grocer's shop on your right, go forward. It's right in front of you.

This sort of shop sold things like writing paper, greetings cards and envelopes.

Christmas cards were very popular with Victorian Londoners.

How many pictures of Father Christmas can you spot?

How is he different to pictures of Father Christmas you might see today?

Many winter traditions such as Christmas trees, crackers, giving presents and Father Christmas were introduced in Victorian times.

What else can you find?

You've made it to the end. Well done!

There's plenty more to see if you keep your eyes peeled!

What to do next

Why not try this creative Victorian activity?

Decorate your own penny plains

The Victorians loved decorating 'penny plains' – souvenir images of famous actors or heroes. Try it yourself using felt tips and colouring pencils – or embellish your pictures with sequins and glitter!

Also of interest

Fun learning at home

We love welcoming families to our museums, but you don't need to visit to enjoy the fun. Here are some great ways to play and learn at home!

Free, fun school resources

Explore our range of free tools for visits and classroom use! We can help with everything from prehistory to the present with apps, pocket histories and more

Family visits

Birthday parties.

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Plan your visit

Roof and centre of the Great Court

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Opening times

Daily: 10.00–17.00 ( Fridays: 20.30 )  See full  opening hours  

Advance booking recommended

See ticket information

The British Museum

Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3DG See getting here

Immerse yourself in two million years of human history, art and culture.

Book your free ticket  for Museum entry in advance to receive key information and updates before your visit and priority entry during busy periods. In our galleries come face-to-face with objects from the  Sutton Hoo  ship burial, explore the wonderful collection of the  Islamic world  and learn more about  Egyptian mummies . Please see the  list of available galleries  to visit.

Exhibition tickets are available to book for:

• Michelangelo: the last decades (until 28 July 2024)
• Silk Roads (26 September 2024 – 23 February 2025)

In line with current government and NHS guidance, face masks are not mandatory but visitors are welcome to wear them if they wish. The Museum maintains a robust cleaning schedule and hand sanitiser stations are available across the site. 

Occasionally we may need to close galleries at short notice. We regret that we are not always able to alert visitors in advance of their visit.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Ways to explore

Family visits

Exhibitions and events

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Ticket information

How to book.

• We're limiting numbers of people in the Museum to ensure there's room for you to safely enjoy your visit. You're advised to book a free ticket in advance to receive key information and updates before your visit and priority entry during busy periods.
• To book simply pick the date and time you'd like to visit.
• If the date or time you wish to visit has no availability, please note that walk-up visits are available each day for those who arrive at the Montague Place entrance of the Museum, without advance bookings. But this does depend on capacity, as walk-up entry cannot be guaranteed. If visitor numbers are very high, for safety reasons we may need to limit entry and in those circumstances only ticket holders will be admitted. 
• To book tickets for exhibitions, visit our exhibition pages . Your exhibition ticket also gives you access to the permanent collection.
• If you need any access assistance, please see our Accessibility page .

Important information about your ticket booking

• Tickets to the permanent collection are free.
• You can book tickets up to a maximum of nine people in your group.
• Your ticket(s) will be emailed to you.
• Tickets will be released on a regular basis, so if there's no availability showing then please check again soon.
• You'll be able to enter the Museum any time after your selected timeslot.
• Sign up to our newsletter to receive the latest updates.
• You'll need to show your Membership card to gain entry.
• If you can't find your card, please contact  [email protected]  or visit the Membership Desk in the Great Court. 
• Visit our Membership page for enquiries or to find out about becoming a Member.

Groups of 10 or more people

Self-led groups of 10 or more people will need to book a group ticket . Please see the Group visits page for more details. 

School groups

School groups should contact the Box Office on +44 (0)20 7323 8181 to book their visit to the Museum. More information can be found on our School visits page. 

10% off for Members

Become a Member and enjoy a 10% discount at all of the Museum's cafés, restaurants and shops. 

Gallery information

Make the most of your visit.

Explore world cultures from the Mediterranean to the Middle East and from the Americas to Africa.

• View a map of the Museum .
• Explore more of the Museum with our object trails  or try a selection of our Museum Missions . 
• Take a self-guided tour of the Museum using our Audio app (available in various languages including British Sign Language). Download via the  App Store  or  Google Play Store . Please bring your headphones with you or purchase earbuds from the Guide Desk or British Museum Shop.

List of available galleries

See the list of available galleries for you to enjoy (please note this list is subject to change):

Lower floor

• Room 25: Africa ( The Sainsbury Galleries )  

Ground floor

• Great Court
• Room 1: Enlightenment
• Room 2: Collecting the world
• Room 2a: The Waddesdon Bequest (funded by The Rothschild Foundation )
• Room 4: Egyptian sculpture
• Room 6: Assyrian sculpture and Balawat Gates
• Rooms 7–8: Assyria: Nimrud *
• Room 9: Assyria: Nineveh *
• Room 10: Assyria: Lion hunts, Siege of Lachish and Khorsabad *
• Room 12: Greece: Minoans and Mycenaeans ( The Arthur I Fleischman Gallery )
• Room 13: Greece 1050–520 BC
• Room 14: Greek vases
• Room 15: Athens and Lycia
• Room 16: Bassai sculptures
• Room 17: Nereid Monument
• Room 18: Greece: Parthenon
• Room 19: Greece: Athens
• Room 20: Greeks and Lycians 400–325 BC
• Room 21: Mausoleum of Halikarnassos
• Room 22: The world of Alexander
• Room 24: Living and Dying ( The Wellcome Trust Gallery )
• Room 26: North America
• Room 27: Mexico

Upper floors

• Room 33: China and South Asia ( Sir Joseph Hotung Gallery )
• Room 33a: India: Amaravati ( The Asahi Shimbun Gallery )
• Room 33b: Chinese jade ( The Selwyn and Ellie Alleyne Gallery )
• Room 40: Medieval Europe, 1050–1500 ( The Sir Paul and Lady Ruddock Gallery )
• Room 41: Sutton Hoo and Europe, AD 300–1100 ( The Sir Paul and Lady Ruddock Gallery )
• Rooms 42–43: The Islamic world ( The Albukhary Foundation Gallery )
• Room 46: Europe 1400–1800
• Room 47: Europe 1800–1900
• Room 48: Europe 1900 to the present
• Room 49: Roman Britain ( The Weston Gallery )
• Room 50: Britain and Europe 800 BC–AD43
• Room 51: Europe and Middle East, 10,000–800 BC ( The Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Gallery )
• Room 52: Ancient Iran ( The Rahim Irvani Gallery )
• Room 53: Ancient South Arabia
• Room 54: Anatolia and Urartu, 7000–300 BC
• Room 55: Mesopotamia, 1500–539 BC
• Room 61: Egyptian life and death: the tomb-chapel of Nebamun ( The Michael Cohen Gallery )
• Rooms 62–63: Egyptian death and afterlife: mummies ( The Roxie Walker Galleries )
• Room 64: Early Egypt
• Room 65: Sudan, Egypt and Nubia
• Room 66: Ethopia and Coptic Egypt
• Room 67: Korea (The Korea Foundation Gallery)
• Room 68: Money
• Room 69: Greek and Roman life
• Room 70: Roman Empire ( The Wolfson Gallery )
• Room 71: Etruscan world
• Room 72: Ancient Cyprus ( The A.G. Leventis Gallery )
• Room 73: Greeks in Italy
• Rooms 90–90a: Prints and drawings displays
• Rooms 92–94: Japan ( The Mitsubishi Corporation Japanese Galleries )
• Room 95: Chinese Ceramics – Sir Percival David Collection ( The Sir Joseph Hotung Centre for Ceramic Studies )

*Limited opening: Rooms 7, 9, 10, 19, 20, 57 and 58 are open 11:00–15:00 daily.

For more information on access to the galleries visit our  Accessibility at the Museum  page. 

Planned gallery closures

Galleries in the Museum may be closed for maintenance, refurbishment or private events. Where possible, we'll list the time and date of the closures below. All planned closures will also be detailed on the affected gallery pages . Occasionally we may need to close galleries at short notice for safety reasons. We regret that in these cases we're not always able to alert the public in advance.

Due to regular maintenance, the following galleries will be temporarily closed: 

• Room 25: Africa ( The Sainsbury Galleries ) from 10–21 March 2025
• Room 19: Greece: Athens from 19–30 August 2024
• Room 20: Greeks and Lycians, 400–325 BC from 19–30 August 2024
• Room 21: Mausoleum of Halikarnassos from 19–30 August 2024
• Room 22: The world of Alexander from 19–30 August 2024
• Room 23: Greek and Roman sculpture from 19–30 August 2024
• Room 10: Assyria: Lion hunts, Siege of Lachish and Khorsabad from 2–13 September 2024
• Room 13: Greece 1050–520 BC from 2–13 September 2024
• Room 14: Greek vases from 2–13 September 2024
• Room 15: Greece: Athens and Lycia from 2–13 September 2024
• Room 16: Greece: Bassai sculptures from 2–13 September 2024
• Room 18: Greece: Parthenon from 16–27 September 2024
• Room 4: Egyptian sculpture from 13–24 January 2025
• Room 6a: Assyrian sculpture and Balawat Gates from 13–24 January 2025
• Room 9: Assyria: Nineveh * from 13–24 January 2025
• Room 2: Collecting the world from from 27 January – 7 February 2025
• Room 2a: The Waddesdon Bequest ( funded by The Rothschild Foundation ) from 27 January – 7 February 2025
• Room 1: Enlightenment from 27 January – 14 February 2025
• Room 6b: Assyrian sculpture and Balawat Gate s from 10–21 February 2025
• Rooms 7–8: Assyria: Nimrud * from 10–21 February 2025
• Room 24: Living and Dying ( The Wellcome Trust Gallery ) partially closed from 27 February – 7 March 2025
• Room 26: North America from 27 February – 7 March 2025
• Room 27: Mexico from 27 February – 7 March 2025
• Room 24: Living and Dying ( The Wellcome Trust Gallery ) partially closed from 10–21 March 2025
• Room 56: Mesopotamia, 6000–1500 BC partially closed from 15–28 June 2024
• Rooms 57–59: Ancient Levant * from 15–28 June 2024
• Room 63: Egyptian death and afterlife: mummies ( The Roxie Walker Galleries ) partially closed from 1–12 July 2024 
• Room 64: Early Egypt from 1–12 July 2024 
• Room 65: Sudan, Egypt and Nubia from 1–12 July 2024 
• Room 66: Ethopia and Coptic Egypt partially closed from 1–12 July 2024 
• Room 67: Korea ( The Korea Foundation Gallery ) from 15–26 July 2024
• Room 95: Chinese Ceramics – Sir Percival David Collection ( The Sir Joseph Hotung Centre for Ceramic Studies ) from 15–26 July 2024
• Room 53: Ancient South Arabia from 30 September – 11 October 2024
• Room 54: Anatolia and Urartu, 7000–300 BC from 30 September – 11 October 2024
• Room 55: Mesopotamia, 1500–539 BC from 30 September – 11 October 2024
• Room 56: Mesopotamia, 6000–1500 BC partially closed from 30 September – 11 October 2024
• Rooms 92–94: Japan ( The Mitsubishi Corporation Japanese Galleries ) from 7–9 October 2024
• Room 41: Sutton Hoo and Europe, AD 300–1100 ( The Sir Paul and Lady Ruddock Gallery ) partially closed from 14–25 October 2024
• Rooms 42–43: The Islamic world ( The Albukhary Foundation Gallery ) from 14–25 October 2024
• Room 46: Europe 1400–1800 from 14–25 October 2024
• Room 47: Europe 1800–1900 from 14–25 October 2024
• Room 48: Europe 1900 to the present from 14–25 October 2024
• Room 68: Money from 4–15 November 2024
• Room 69: Greek and Roman life from 4–15 November 2024
• Room 70: Roman Empire ( The Wolfson Gallery ) from 4–15 November 2024
• Room 71: Etruscan world from 4–15 November 2024
• Room 72: Ancient Cyprus ( The A.G. Leventis Gallery ) from 4–15 November 2024
• Room 73: Greeks in Italy from 4–15 November 2024
• Room 33: China and South Asia ( Sir Joseph Hotung Gallery ) from 2–13 December 2024
• Room 33a: India: Amaravati ( The Asahi Shimbun Gallery ) from 2–13 December 2024
• Room 33b: Chinese jade ( The Selwyn and Ellie Alleyne Gallery ) from 2–13 December 2024
• Room 67: Korea ( The Korea Foundation Gallery ) from 27–31 January 2025
• Room 95: Chinese Ceramics – Sir Percival David Collection ( The Sir Joseph Hotung Centre for Ceramic Studies ) from 27–31 January 2025
• Rooms 38–39: Clocks and watches ( The Sir Harry and Lady Djanogly Gallery ) from 24–28 March 2025
• Rooms 92–94: Japan ( The Mitsubishi Corporation Japanese Galleries ) from 31 March – 11 April 2025

Support the Museum

Your support is vital, now more than ever, and helps the Museum to share the collection with the world.

Exhibitions

Tickets are available to book for Michelangelo: the last decades (until 28 July 2024) and Silk Roads (26 September 2024 – 23 February 2025).

Michelangelo: the last decades . Book now .

Silk Roads . Book now .

Full opening hours.

Please note that on Wednesday 5 June the Museum will be closing at 16.00. Our exhibitions, shops, cafes, cloakroom, families desk and all other facilities will be closed an hour earlier than advertised. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Our opening hours are daily, 10.00–17.00 ( Fridays: 20.30 ) Last entry: 16.45 (Fridays: 20.15)

• Box Office: 10.00–16.50, Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays)
• Cloakroom: 10.00–17.00 (20.30 on Fridays). Last deposit is one hour before closing.
• Families Desk: 10.00–12.30 and 13.15–16.30, weekends and London Borough of Camden  school holidays  only.
• Ford Centre for Young Visitors: 10.00–16.30, weekends and London Borough of Camden  school holidays  only
• Galleries: 10.00–17.00 (20.30 on Fridays). Please note: we begin clearing galleries 10 minutes before they close.
• Great Court: 10.00–17.30 (Fridays 20.30)
• Guide Desk: 10.00–16.30
• Information Desk: 10.00–17.00
• Ticket Desk: 10.00–16.30

Find out about upcoming  late opening on Fridays . There will be no late night opening on Good Friday (18 April 2025).

The Museum is closed 24–26 December. 

Special exhibitions  are open daily 10.00–17.00 (last entry at 16.45) and on Fridays until 20.30 (last entry at 20.15). Please arrive at the time stated on your ticket – we cannot guarantee admission before or after your allotted time slot.

We begin clearing galleries 10 minutes before they close.

• Bookshop: daily, 10.00–17.00
• Family shop: daily, 10.00–17.00 
• Collections shop and Grenville Room: daily, 10.00–17.00
• Online shop : open 24 hours a day

Cafés and restaurants

• Court Cafés: daily, 10.00–17.00
• Great Court Restaurant : daily, 11.30–17.00 (last sitting 16.00).
• Pizzeria: daily, 12.00–15.00
• Coffee Lounge: 10.30–16.30
• Outside dining: 10.00–17.00

Find out more about the Museum's cafés and restaurants . 

Library, archive and study rooms

Booking requests for the department study rooms at the British Museum main site can now be accepted. Opening hours vary. Our library  and  archive  are open by appointment: Tuesday – Thursday, 10.00–13.00 and 14.00–16.00.

Getting here

51.519413319978, -0.12695659999997.

Main entrance:  The British Museum Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG (what3words: ///young.verge.moves )

Second entrance: Montague Place London WC1E 7JW (what3words: ///cooks.waddled.cook )

We recommend using the Transport For London (TFL) Journey Planner to plan your trip to the Museum.

• Bicycle racks are available inside the gates of the Main Entrance on Great Russell Street (please note that folding bikes are not allowed inside the premises). 
• The Museum can't assume responsibility for damage or theft of bicycles left on-site.
• You may wish to use the  Santander Cycle Hire scheme  on your journey. If so, a docking station can be found on the corner of Great Russell Street and Montague Street, a two-minute walk from the Main Entrance.

If you're planning to visit by car, please be aware that the Museum doesn't offer parking facilities, except for visitors with access requirements (visit the Accessibility at the Museum page  for details).

By taxi or minicab

• Black cabs can be pre-booked, hailed on the street or found at designated taxi ranks around Central London.
• There is a taxi rank on Great Russell Street at the Museum's main gates.
• Minicabs must be booked in advance through a licensed private hire operator.
• More information can be found on TFL's  London taxis and minicabs  page.

The following bus routes pass within walking distance of the Museum.

• New Oxford Street: 1, 8, 19, 25, 38, 55, 98, 242
• Tottenham Court Road (northbound) / Gower Street (southbound): 14, 24, 29, 73, 134, 390
• Southampton Row: 59, 68, X68, 91, 168, 188

Please refer to individual routes on the  TFL Bus Routes page  to find the best stop and to check for diversions.

The four tube stations closest to the Museum are:

• Tottenham Court Road: 5-minute walk
• Holborn: 7-minute walk
• Russell Square: 7-minute walk
• Goodge Street: 8-minute walk

Entering the Museum

• Entry to the Museum is via the Main entrance on Great Russell Street or the Montague Place entrance. Please note at busy periods walk-up entry will only be possible at the Montague Place entrance, and entry is dependent on capacity.
• On arrival please join the back of the queue, where you may be required to wait, as longer queues can form at busy periods. 
• General admission ticket holders may enter the Museum anytime after their selected timeslot. 
• Once you've gone through the Main entrance an easy access queuing route is available for disabled visitors, visitors with pushchairs and/or children under five, Members, exhibition and general admission ticket-holders.
• All visitors must pass through a security check which involves a bag search.
• If you require more information on accessibility for disabled visitors, please see our  Accessibility at the Museum page  for details.

Security and bag searches

Security, bag searches and large luggage.

• For everyone's safety, all bags, rucksacks, packages and personal items may be searched before entry.
• Wheeled cases, sports equipment and large items of luggage are not allowed on British Museum premises.
• Storage for luggage is available at major rail stations, including Euston, King's Cross and Charing Cross.
• An easy access route is available for disabled visitors, Members and visitors with buggies and/or children under five.
• If you require assistance or the entrance into the Museum poses an accessibility barrier, please let our uniformed staff know and they'll be happy to assist you.
• Please don't leave your bags unattended at any point during your visit.

Restricted items

• For security reasons, no large items of luggage can be brought into the Museum (bigger than 40cm x 40cm x 50cm and heavier than 8kg) or onto the premises.
• Wheeled cases are not permitted regardless of their size and weight.
• Folding bicycles are not permitted inside the Museum. 
• Adult scooters, skateboards and musical instruments are not allowed onto the premises.
• Pushchairs are permitted on-site. Fold-up prams and buggies can be left free of charge in the cloakroom, which is found by turning left immediately after passing through the Main entrance of the Museum.
• Offensive weapons, dangerous chemicals, and other suspicious items will be confiscated before entry is granted.
• You'll be able to retrieve any confiscated items when you leave, provided there are no legal barriers. 

Visitor regulations

• All visitors entering the Museum agree to abide by the visitor regulations: 
• The Museum reserves the right to vary or alter these regulations without prior notice.
• Special exhibitions may have additional regulations.

Accessibility

We have a wide range of services for disabled visitors. 

Find out how to make the most of your visit and plan your trip in advance on our  Accessibility at the Museum  page. 

Visitor and Member cloakroom

• Last deposits are one hour before closing time.
• Please collect items 30 minutes before closing time.
• The cloakroom can be found by turning left immediately after passing through the Main entrance to the Museum. 
• Please see the restricted items section for full details.
• Bags up to 4kg – £2.50
• Bags 4–8kg – £5
• Umbrellas – £1
• Fold-up pushchairs – free
• Members can use the cloakroom free of charge. The same restrictions apply.
• You must retrieve items from the cloakroom before you leave the Museum site.
• In the event of a fire evacuation, the cloakroom will be closed immediately and you must follow our fire evacuation instructions. Our staff will help to retrieve your items from the cloakroom as soon as possible after the Museum reopens.
• Please note that the cloakroom has limited capacity, and when this capacity is reached, it cannot accept items until space becomes available again.
• The Museum reserves the right to vary or alter these conditions without prior notice.

Lost property

If you've lost an item while visiting the Museum, please email [email protected]

• Free wifi is available for all visitors to the Museum.
• Please connect to 'British Museum WiFi' only.
• You'll be required to supply your full name and email address before using the service.
• Free wifi is funded by the Mayor of London and Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport. Connectivity is supported by the Daisy Group.
• Charging phones and plugging in any other electronics is not allowed.

Facilities for babies and children

For information about facilities for parents, babies and young children, please see the Family visits page .

If you need help during your visit, please speak to a uniformed member of staff.

Accessible facilities

For information about facilities and resources for disabled visitors please see the Accessibility at the Museum page .

If you need assistance during your visit, please speak to a uniformed member of staff.

Photography and filming

• Hand-held flash photography and video recording is allowed in most galleries for private purposes only.
• Signs will indicate where photography is restricted.
• Tripods, monopods and selfie sticks may not be used inside the Museum building.
• In special circumstances, a permit to use these items can be issued – if you have any queries, contact the Museum at  [email protected] or on 020 7323 8380
• For questions regarding commercial photography or filming, please see our Commercial page .

Eat, drink, shop and enjoy

Food and drink

The British Museum Shop

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Popular search terms:

• British wildlife
• Wildlife Photographer of the Year
• Explore the Museum

Workshops, shows and tours

Immerse your class in the wonders of the natural world with our workshops, shows and tours.

Your students will have the opportunity to explore, discover, and collaborate with each other and with our amazing collections and scientists, guided by our experienced learning facilitators.

The activities are curriculum-linked and cater to sudents from Early Years to Post 16. 

Explore the pond life in the new Nature Discovery Garden, go behind the scenes with a Spirit Collection tour, or build learning and fun in our LEGO®-based workshops.

Browse the full range below.

How to book

All visits must be prebooked.

To make a booking, please read our essential information page, then phone the bookings team.

Bookings are currently available up to December 2024.

Minibeast Hunt

In this outdoor workshop, pupils will explore habitats and hunt for bugs in our new Nature Discovery Garden.

For ages 4-7 (Early Years - KS1)

Super Stegosaurus Workshop

Discover how scientists piece together fossil finds. An ongallery workshop looking and learning about the life of Sophie the  Stegosaurus.

For ages 5-7 (KS1)

Pond Dipping

In this outdoor workshop, pupils will use nets to catch pond animals and conduct a scientific enquiry into what these creatures eat.

For ages 6-11 (Year Two - KS2)

Dino Dig Workshop

Become palaeontologists and dig for fossils in this hands-on workshop. You might even uncover a dinosaur skull!

For ages 7-11 (KS2)

Evolution Workshop

Compare fossils and explore how life has changed over time.

For Year Six (ages 10-11) only.

Biodiversity in Action

A practical science session where pupils use microscopes to sort and classify insect specimens, interpret data, and solve a problem.

For ages 7-14 (KS2 and KS3)

Mission to Mars: LEGO® Explorers Workshop

Pupils will design, create and code a Martian rover using LEGO® Education WeDo 2.0 robotics sets in this hands-on workshop.

For ages 7-14  (KS2 and KS3)

LEGO® Build the Change: Save Our Planet! Workshop

Pupils will use their creativity to design, build, and evaluate a solution to a real-world sustainability challenge using LEGO® bricks in this hands-on workshop.

Explore: Urban Nature Workshop

Become urban nature scientists by exploring museum specimens and investitating human impacts on the environment in Hyde Park.

For ages 9-14 (upper KS2 + KS3)

Please note: This FREE workshop takes place nearby in Hyde Park, not the Museum.

Shows, talks and tours

Ocean Life and Habitat Show

Come on an adventure and help our scientists explore the seas, from the sunlit corals to the midnight depths.

For ages 6-11 (Upper KS1 and KS2)

Join us on a quest back in time! You class will use their scientific skills to discover more about dinosaurs and the world they lived in.

Emergency! Earthquakes and Volcanoes Show

Transform into scientists to save a town from geological catastrophe in this action-packed science show.

Meet the Scientist Talk

Find out about what goes behind the scenes at the Museum from a real scientist who works with the collection.

For ages 13+ (year 9+)

Spirit Collection Tour

Go behind the scenes with our knowledgeable learning facilitators for a look at the Museum's fascinating zoology collection.

You'll meet Archie, our 8.62-metre-long giant squid, view specimens collected by Charles Darwin himself and learn more about our cutting-edge research.

For ages 14+ (KS4 and KS5)

Virtual workshops

Can't make it to the Museum? We offer live interactive workshops and shows that can be streamed to your class in school. 

Explore the world of volcanoes and earthquakes and their effects on society, or discover the concepts that underpin evolution. 

Self-guided visits

You and your class can discover over 4.5 billion years of natural history as you explore the Museum.

Related pages

Home educator group visits

How to book workshops and shows for home educator visits to our Museum in London.

Getting ready for your school visit

Free downloadable gallery guides and advice on travel and arriving at the Museum.

School visits to South Kensington, London

We offer a range of curriculum-linked workshops and shows, as well as galleries for your group to explore.

Sign up to the Teachers' Newsletter

Keep up to date with our onsite and virtual offers and new learning resources, programmes and opportunities.