British, but not many inside (British Museum)

Member Name: mgoldman

Product:	British Museum
Date:	28/07/03 (91 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: free, it's got everything, accessible

Disadvantages: full of tourists, needs a lot of time

Having failed to gain access to the Silver Vaults on a Sunday, we decided to chance the special exhibition from the Wellcome Collection (temporary only), and look around.

Sunday is a good day to go, and for those of you who like to drive in London, rather than use the lottery of weekend public transport, and not only is there no congestion charge, but you can park fairly near for free. I probably should not tell you this, as it will mean that one of my favourite Sunday parking spots get full, so suffice it to say that it is better to look for a spot near the back entrance to the museum. The other good thing is that it now opens at 1000, rather than the rather shorter post-lunch opening that used to happen on a Sunday

Now, the British museum has always been free except for certain temporary exhibitions, and has always had a huge following with tourists. At the time of writing (July 03) the museum is full of Japanese and other south East Asian tourists. In fact there are so many that the coaches have to double park on the streets, blocking access for residents. It always seems far sighted to allow access to this paragon of culture, and it is a pity that when the visitations are reciprocated, that one often has to dig deep into your pocket for overseas museums. It is interesting to note that very few of these visitors make a deposit in the voluntary contribution pots, which suggest a figure of £3 per visit - far less than a visit to other European museums.

Now, you cannot hope to do the British Museum in one go. I have made about 20 visits there, and feel I am only just scratching the surface. It needs to be taken in small bite size doses. The improved layout and labelling makes that even better, as you can cover small sections in depth. Given that it is free, you can dip in and out on several occasions. I suggest you look for one of the less popular galleries. Forget the Rosetta stone - you won't get near it, and it is possibly a fake.
Go for something better for your soul, like the collection of Netsuke, which are the delicate ivory carvings used as fasteners on Japanese purses and suchlike. Have a look at miniatures. The European stuff is fantastic, and is less popular.

If you have the time, go midweek in the early morning. Forget every criticism you have heard on the subject of the purity of the stone of the new courtyard. The new courtyard is fantastic, and there is spacious catering there at bearable prices (motorway service station prices). There is also the shop, and if you want a beginner?s guide to the grammar of hieroglyphics, there are several to choose from. Another good thing is that there are no apparent limitations on photography. You need to be careful as the lighting is sometimes unforgiving, and the Asian tourists even less so.

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