Living in London offers many advantages compared to living in other cities around the world. Of course, some people might see these as drawbacks and would prefer to move to the countryside, but that’s not the case for me. Once the capital of an empire on which the sun never set, London remains one of the world’s great capitals. Living here suits me quite well.
One of the things I enjoy most in my free time is – oh, what a surprise!, learning about different cultures, and visiting museums is a wonderful way to do just that. At its height, the British Empire controlled vast territories, granting access to treasures of both natural and human origin. This is how the Koh-i-Noor diamond, once owned by the famous Shah Jahan who commissioned the Taj Mahal, became part of the British Crown Jewels, after being “gifted” to the British East India Company by the Sikh rulers. It’s also how the Elgin Marbles were “obtained” from the Parthenon in Athens and brought to Britain, and how the Rosetta Stone “came into British hands” following the fall of Alexandria. That is also how…
Of course, blaming the British for doing what all the others did during that era would be nonsense. That was simply how the world operated in the 19th century, just a handful of powerful nations and the rest of the globe. And let’s be honest, how much has really changed today? So, this post isn’t meant to dive into ethical debates. It’s not that I condone these actions, but this isn’t the place for that discussion. Instead, this post is all about the British Museum, definitely my favorite.
The British Museum is one of the largest museums in the world, housing in its permanent collection around 8 million objects that tell the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present day. Sadly, less than 1% of its collection is on display at any given time. What’s impressive is that, as a public institution funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, it does not charge admission fee, except for loan exhibitions, with charges only for special loan exhibitions. This approach feels like a true contribution to society, and it seems to work well. Have you ever visited the Louvre or the Vatican Museums, just to name a couple? Tickets can be quite pricey, and the vastness of those museums means you rarely get to linger at any one exhibit. The line to see the Mona Lisa moves steadily but slowly, and honestly, if you want to appreciate that painting, you might be better off viewing a high-definition digital image instead.
Thanks to its no-charge admission policy, you can visit the British Museum as often and for as long as you like, which means you can take your time, focus on just one gallery if you wish, and really let the experience sink in. Isn’t that fantastic? I go at least once a month, and every visit starts in the same spot: in front of the Rosetta Stone. I’ve always been more interested in the relationships between people and objects than in art itself, which is why I consider this extraordinary artifact, an intersection of ancient knowledge, science, and daily life, one of the most important man-made objects ever created. I still remember the first time I saw it as a child, in a history textbook. The image was blurry and low-quality, understandably so, since this was during communist times in Poland, when there were shortages of everything from paper to food to furniture, but even then, I was captivated. Though not as ancient as some might think (dating from just the 2nd century BC), the Rosetta Stone became the key to unlocking the understanding of origins of human civilization and its material culture.
This Ancient Egyptian stele may not seem particularly impressive at first glance, especially without knowing its historical significance. It’s relatively modest in size, roughly comparable to a 50-inch flat screen TV (which, let’s be honest, probably feels a bit small by today’s standards). Carved from a granite-like stone during the reign of King Ptolemy V around 200 BC, it was rediscovered in 1799 during Napoleon’s campaign in Egypt. What makes it extraordinary is its role in deciphering Egyptian writing systems. The same text appears in three scripts: Ancient Egyptian in both Hieroglyphic and Demotic (yes, that’s capitalized – not to be confused with the demotic/modern Greek), and Ancient Greek. Since the latter was already well understood, scholars could use it as a key to unlock the other two. The French began working on this immediately, but in 1802, the stele was “repossessed” by the British. They quickly made plaster casts of it and distributed them to scholars across Europe, fueling a wave of academic breakthroughs. Eventually, both the Hieroglyphic and Demotic scripts were successfully decoded, thanks in large part to this unassuming slab of stone.
After paying my respects to the scholars of bygone eras, I usually pass fairly quickly through the Ancient Egyptian and Greek galleries to reach the parts of the museum I find most captivating, the remnants of the Assyrian, Babylonian, and Sumerian empires. These early civilizations laid the groundwork for written human history through their cuneiform scripts (which also inspired the name of my company). They also gave us one of the oldest known board games, the Royal Game of Ur. This beautifully crafted piece is over 4,000 years old, and as a lifelong board game enthusiast, I find it fascinating. The game was so popular in ancient Mesopotamia that you can even spot it carved into the Lamassu, a human-headed, winged bull sculpture. The palace guards of Sargon II were likely trying to pass the time. That carving is still visible in the British Museum’s permanent collection, if you know where to look.
As I mentioned earlier, I try to visit the British Museum as often as I can. My usual routine begins on a Saturday or Sunday morning, I leave early and take the Northern Line straight to Tottenham Court Road Station. From there, it’s just a five-minute walk before I’m stepping through the museum’s doors. There’s always something new (though technically ancient!) waiting to be discovered. One of the highlights for me are the short talks offered by museum volunteers, 30 to 45 minutes focused on specific topics. You can find the schedule on the Museum website, and I assure you, boredom is not on the agenda. These talks are completely free and always led by people who are clearly passionate about their subject. Thanks to them, I’ve learned countless fascinating details I would have missed just wandering on my own, like the traces of ancient paint still visible on the Assyrian carvings in Room 10. Can you imagine what it’s like to picture those reliefs as they originally looked, in full color? And on some tours, you even get the chance to touch certain ancient artefacts, which adds a whole new dimension to the experience.
I also highly recommend coming to the museum on one of the Friday evenings when it’s open until late. There’s something magical at that time and the vibes are so different to the ones you get when visiting during the day.
The last word of advice, during the popular seasons do not use the overcrowded main entrance, come by the Montague Place door, unless there will be an organised excursion, you will often be the only person there and it could easily save you half an hour of waiting in line.
Ps. if you are a fan of board games and/or Harry Potter, you definitely need to check the Lewis Chessmen, why? follow the link!
[…] professionalism of its curators and conservation specialists is beyond question. As mentioned in the previous post we are not here to focus on political and/or ethical issues. Not that these are not important, in […]