Plan 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 Museum, without advance bookings. If visitor numbers are very high, non-ticket holders may have a longer wait to gain entry.
• 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.
• General admission ticket holders are asked to arrive at their entry time. If you arrive later than this, we will do our best to accommodate you, but there may be delays to your entry. Please do not arrive earlier than your entry time.
• Sign up to our newsletter to receive the latest updates.

• Members do not need to book for the permanent collection or our special exhibitions:
  • Korea (1 October 2026 – 31 January 2027)
• 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.

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 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. 

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.

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
• Room 7: 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: Greece: Athens and Lycia
• Room 16: Greece: 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) 
• Rooms 38–39: Clocks and watches (The Sir Harry and Lady Djanogly 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 56: Mesopotamia, 6000–1500 BC
• Rooms 57–59: Ancient Levant
• 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: Ethiopia and Coptic Egypt
• Room 67: Korea (The Korea Foundation Gallery)
• Room 68: Money
• Room 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)

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

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.

Please note the Reading Room will be temporarily closed on:

• 11–12 August 2026
• 14 August 2026, all day
• 21 August 2026, 16.00–20.30
• 25 September 2026, all day
• 29–30 September 2026
• 20 November 2026, all day

Due to hot weather, the following galleries may be temporarily closed:

• 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

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

Lower floor

• Room 25: Africa (The Sainsbury Galleries) from 8–19 March 2027

Ground floor

• Room 23: Greek and Roman sculpture until 31 July 2026
• Room 8: Assyria: Nimrud until 31 July 2026
• Room 19: Greece: Athens from 17–28 August 2026
• Room 20: Greeks and Lycians, 400–325 BC from 17–28 August 2026
• Room 21: Mausoleum of Halikarnassos from 17–28 August 2026
• Room 22: The world of Alexander from 17–28 August 2026
• Room 23: Greek and Roman sculpture from 17–28 August 2026
• Room 24: Living and Dying (The Wellcome Trust Gallery) from 24–28 August 2026
• Room 10: Assyria: Lion hunts, Siege of Lachish and Khorsabad from 31 August – 11 September 2026
• Room 13: Greece 1050–520 BC from 31 August – 11 September 2026
• Room 14: Greek vases from 31 August – 11 September 2026
• Room 15: Greece: Athens and Lycia from 31 August – 11 September 2026
• Room 16: Greece: Bassai sculptures from 31 August – 11 September 2026
• Room 18: Greece: Parthenon from 14–25 September 2026
• Room 4: Egyptian sculpture from 11–22 January 2027
• Room 6a: Assyrian sculpture and Balawat Gates from 11–22 January 2027
• Room 9: Assyria: Nineveh from 11–22 January 2027
• Room 2: Collecting the world from 25 January – 5 February 2027
• Room 2a: The Waddesdon Bequest (funded by The Rothschild Foundation) from 25 January – 5 February 2027
• Room 1: Enlightenment from 25 January – 12 February 2027
• Room 6b: Assyrian sculpture and Balawat Gates from 8–19 February 2027
• Rooms 7–8: Assyria: Nimrud from 8–19 February 2027
• Room 24: Living and Dying (The Wellcome Trust Gallery) partially closed from 22 February – 5 March 2027
• Room 26: North America from 22 February – 5 March 2027
• Room 27: Mexico from 22 February – 5 March 2027
• Room 24: Living and Dying (The Wellcome Trust Gallery) partially closed from 8–19 March 2027

Upper floors

• Room 53: Ancient South Arabia from 28 September – 9 October 2026
• Room 54: Anatolia and Urartu, 7000–300 BC from 28 September – 9 October 2026
• Room 55: Mesopotamia, 1500–539 BC from 28 September – 9 October 2026
• Room 56: Mesopotamia, 6000–1500 BC partially closed from 28 September – 9 October 2026
• Room 41: Sutton Hoo and Europe, AD 300–1100 (The Sir Paul and Lady Ruddock Gallery) partially closed from 12–23 October 2026
• Rooms 42–43: The Islamic world (The Albukhary Foundation Gallery) from 12–23 October 2026
• Room 46: Europe 1400–1800 from 12–23 October 2026
• Room 47: Europe 1800–1900 from 12–23 October 2026
• Room 48: Europe 1900 to the present from 12–23 October 2026
• Room 68: Money from 2–13 November 2026
• Room 69: Greek and Roman life from 2–13 November 2026
• Room 70: Roman Empire (The Wolfson Gallery) from 2–13 November 2026
• Room 71: Etruscan world from 2–13 November 2026
• Room 72: Ancient Cyprus (The A.G. Leventis Gallery) from 2–13 November 2026
• Room 73: Greeks in Italy from 2–13 November 2026
• Room 33: China and South Asia (Sir Joseph Hotung Gallery) from 30 November – 11 December 2026
• Room 33a: India: Amaravati (The Asahi Shimbun Gallery) from 30 November – 11 December 2026
• Room 33b: Chinese jade (The Selwyn and Ellie Alleyne Gallery) from 30 November – 11 December 2026
• Rooms 38–39: Clocks and watches (The Sir Harry and Lady Djanogly Gallery) from 22–26 March 2027
• Rooms 92–94: Japan (The Mitsubishi Corporation Japanese Galleries) from 29 March – 9 April 2027

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. To book tickets please book online or call the Box Office on +44(0)20 7323 8181.

Find out about upcoming late opening on Fridays. There will be no late night opening on Good Friday (26 March 2027).

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

• Court Cafés: daily, 10.00–17.00
• Great Court Restaurant: daily, 11.30–17.00 (last sitting 16.00)
• Pizzeria: daily, 11.00–16.00
• Coffee Lounge: daily, 10.30–16.30
• Outside dining: daily, 10.00–17.00

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

• Access to department study rooms is by appointment only. Opening hours vary.
• Access to the library collection and archive is by appointment only. Opening hours are:
  • Monday–Wednesday, Friday: 10.00–17.00
  • Thursday: 13.00–17.00
• To identify library materials search the catalogue and email [email protected] with a list of up to ten items you wish to consult. Please also include a potential date of visit, providing two weeks' notice. Staff will retrieve the materials and confirm the appointment.  
• For archive research email [email protected]

• Opening hours: 10.00–17.00 (20.30 on Fridays).
  • 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 note that items of luggage weighing more than 8kg and larger than 40x40x50cm (including all wheeled suitcases) are not permitted. 
  • Please see the restricted items section for full details.
  • Storage for luggage is available at major rail stations, including Euston, King's Cross and Charing Cross.
• Use of the cloakroom is charged per-item:
  • Bags (4–8kg): £6
  • Bags (up to 4kg): £4
  • Coats: £3
  • Umbrellas: £2
  • 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.

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.
• Charging phones and plugging in any other electronics is not allowed.

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.

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.

• 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 +44 (0)20 7323 8016.
• No Commercial filming is allowed during public opening hours and must be contracted through the Commercial Filming Department. For questions regarding commercial photography or filming, please see our Commercial page.