trying to plan a UK trip. what are some good things to see in the British Museum (besides the Rosetta Stone obviously)? and apparently the Beowulf MS is in the British Library? what else would you recommend be seen in the British Library if we make it there?
You should be able to get a library card and look at most of the manuscripts if you email them the necessary stuff ahead of time and bring your documents in. I looked at some of Sir William Jones' Arabic stuff when I was last there. www.bl.uk/visit/reader...
I didn't know you could get a reader pass without being a resident!
Oh maybe. I was a resident at that time.
I don't see anything about that in the link though, they refer to "national IDs".
It may have changed—I watched it closely in 2019 & I was pretty sure it had to be UK-issued .... but as always, it is possible I misunderstood
The St Cuthbert gospel in the BL was very evocative. WRT the British Museum, I rather like the Sir Joseph Hotung gallery (China and South Asia) if only because it’s amusing to see Indian tourists on one side and Chinese ones on the other both grumbling “they stole this from us”.
The BL treasures room didn't seem to have Beowulf out any more - at least not when I was last there in May. Hopefully that was only temporary... and definitely worth seeing the Mesopotamian stuff (the Standard of Ur especially) at the BM!
😍
What *isn’t* there? Franks Casket, Sutton Hoo helmet, Assyrian reliefs, Parthenon sculptures… A complaint about copper quality, obviously. Celtic/Roman Britain stuff is good. Slightly less obvious: Room 1 on the ground floor is a random collection of all kinds of cool stuff including early writing.
The BL Treasures Gallery has the Lindisfarne Gospels, Domesday Book etc. (can't recall if it has the Beowulf MS), though closed until end of September.
ahh amazing, thank you. this will be next spring probably
the Natural History Museum is def one to visit for the wee one!
Can second this- went a decade ago, so am a bit out of date but enjoyed it (not as good as the ROM tho)
The Nereid Monument. The three stand alone statues, at the other end of the room to the monumental temple, are exquisite. Nereid Monument | British Museum share.google/pkMrzrHUqUri...
The British Library's exhibition area isn't too big so I'd recommend seeing it all, lots of cool manuscripts on display, probably an hour or two at most. They usually have one or two temporary exhibitions (free/paid) too, which can be good depending on interests
Seconded. BL is basically unbeatable, but it's unfortunately probably impossible to get a reader's pass as a tourist to delve into the troves of out-of-print material. Sighs يا ليت أيام الإقامة البريطانية
It's all good, but for your interests don't forget:
And obviously don't forget to see this load of plunder and make grumbles it needing to be returned under your breath:
Also, if you can squeeze it in, just around the corner from the BM is the Petrie Museum.
The British Library has this permanent (and free!) "Treasures of the British Library" exhibit that's worth visiting if you're going there (Codex Sinaiticus is on display, among many, many other things), but depends on when you're planning on going (seems to be closed right now until Sept. 26th).
i had forgotten about this, thanks!
Dunno if your interests extend to this, but the HMS Belfast is a fun couple hours!
Well Since no one has made the joke yet what can you fit inside your knapsa?
*knapsack
You would very likely enjoy John Soane's Museum, which isn't too far from there. www.soane.org
You beat me to it: it has the sarcophagus of Seti I and you can have a dangerously close look at some antiquities in that everything-everywhere-all-at-once of a collection. In the British Museum I’d say the Babylonian Map of the World. And don’t forget Cleopatra’s Needle on the Thames Embankment.