One of the world’s largest historical and archeological museums in the world, the pride of Great Britain, the reflection of the colonial history of British empire and the second in the world by visiting after Louvre… that’s right – this is the British Museum. Its creation was based on three collections, donated by famous figures of the 18th century – the physician and naturalist Hans Sloan, of statesman and Earl of Oxford Robert Harley, and also the library of the antiquarian Robert Cotton, which laid the start for the British Library creation.

Expositions of the British Museum

94 galleries with 4 kilometers extension, in which unique exhibits from all corners of the planet: India, China, Africa, Oceania, South America are waiting each visitor of the museum.

Collection of Egyptian exhibits

Being one of the largest collections in the world, it includes a sculpture of Pharaoh Ramses II, a granite head of Thutmes III, statues of gods and stone sarcophagi. The museum keeps the most valuable copies of the collection of lists of the Book of the Dead, including the most famous, such as the “Papyrus of Ani” with color illustrations and the 37-meter “Greenfield Papyrus”. Precious papyrus sheets, which are 3-4 thousand years old, are very rarely shown to the public.

Greco-Roman collection

This department occupied 12 halls of the British Museum. It is possible to see Lycian sculptures, the remains of the famous temple of Diana in Ephesus, precious items preserved from the time of the Roman emperors, Elgin Marbles, taken out of Greece by Lord Elgin and much more.

Department of Antiquity of Western Asia

There are collections of cylinder seals by W. Hamilton and C. Townley, collections of Persian and Mesopotamian monuments by R. Kerr Porter and C. J. Rich, exhibits from the ancient capital of Assyria - Nineveh and other values of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Art department of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome

It differs with large collection of ancient sculpture, Bronze Age objects from the Aegean, dozens of plates and figures from the pediments of the ancient Parthenon, and other famous works of Roman art from Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Department of the East

Rich in collections of sculptures, ceramics, engravings and paintings of the culture of the Far East, South and Southeast Asia. The Oriental section presents Indian statues of Buddha made of bronze, ritual vessels left over from the time of Ancient China, monuments of hieroglyphic writing of the second millennium BC. e. and other luxury items of the ancient East.

In addition to these departments, the departments of coins and medals, ethnography, and also the department offering for inspection the most valuable engravings and drawings, including paintings by Michelangelo, Raphael, Rubens, Van Gogh and other greatest masters of their craft, are very popular in the British Museum.

Interesting facts

• At the British Museum the staff is not just people. There are officially six cats, that hold the position of rat catchers.
• The thematic excursions for children are regularly held within the walls of the museum. So, every Sunday, members of the "Young Friends of the British Museum" children's club meet here, who are given free access to the expositions.
• Spending the whole night in the museum - is a common thing! 4 times a year the museum organizes themed night tours for children, dedicated to one of the world's cultures. The theme can be "Japanese Night" or "Egyptian Night", during which children play educational games and listen to interesting stories.

The sources: tonkosti.ru; kommersant.ru; putidorogi-nn.ru.

Also read:

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art: over 5000 years of world art history
• The Louvre Museum in Paris: unique collections of masterpieces of art