A Day at the British Museum

Hundreds of groups visited the British Museum with us as part of a Terracotta Army, Tutankhamun or Hadrian day trip and the feedback was fantastic. Organisers called or wrote to tell us how much their folk had particularly enjoyed exploring the museum collections. So by popular request here it is back on offer – a choice of richly entertaining days with an award winning guide. Days that tame the 13 acres of galleries without underestimating your minds or overestimating your legs.

We begin at 10-30am to buy morning refreshments at the Great Court before splitting you into two smaller groups: during the morning and afternoon each group is taken on a guided tour while the other has an organised period of free time to enjoy galleries where guiding is not possible, for example the Egyptian Mummies. Did you listen to the BBC Radio Four series The History of the World in 100 Objects with  Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum? If so at the Museum you'll be able to use your free time to pick out and find your favourite objects from the series. The morning guided tour for each group is a one hour highlights tour of the Treasures of the British The  Museum. This is an illuminating and enjoyable journey through the early history of the world and includes the Rosetta Stone, the Elgin Marbles and the Portland Vase.
 
We break for lunch on site, as well as the Great Court Cafes there are pubs and cafes surrounding the museum. You will also find marvellous antiquity dealers where you can go window shopping for your own ancient artefact!
 
After lunch we are going to show each group either the British Bits or the artefacts relating to the Ancient Olympic games. Of course you can choose another option; e.g. British Bits in the morning, Olympics in the afternoon. The British collection includes the Sutton Hoo ship-burial of a Saxon King’s precious grave possessions and the Mildenhall Treasure - a hoard of richly engraved Roman silver tableware. We also look at the intricately carved walrus ivory chess set found on the Isle of Lewis and Lindow Man or the Bog Man, a body so well preserved we know that he was poisoned with mistletoe, plus a beautiful gold vessel with a royal connection.

The British Museum offers a marvellous resource for understanding the Ancient Olympic Games. The religious dimension of the Olympic Games is stressed with a selection of objects focusing on the Greek gods. Our tour will trace the story and ideals of the Ancient Olympics that inspired Baron Pierre de Coubertin to start the modern Olympic movement. the British Museum has no published or known plans for a dedicated Olympic Games Exhibition but if this changes we'll certainly let you know about it and any admission charges involved to give you the option of including this during your day at The British Museum.

There will be time at the end of the afternoon to purchase refreshments in the Great Court Cafe before a 4-45pm departure to be nicely ahead of the central London rush hour.

Walking is designed to be manageable on this day with opportunities to rest.

Available Monday to Saturday all year.

Adults & Seniors: £10.50
Price valid 1st April 2012 to 31st March 2013

Coach Mileage: 0

Other Options Include:

Rule Britannia, Telling the story of the distinctive 'Romano-British' identity forged when the Roman invaders met Britain’s Iron Age societies with a morning walking tour of Roman Londinium including a visit to the Guildhall amphitheatre and an afternoon in the Romano British galleries at the museum.

Adults & Seniors: £10.50

Available Monday to Saturday all year

Please note that this tour is not officially endorsed by, or in any way associated with, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, the Olympic Development Authority or the Olympic and/or Paralympic Movement more generally. Please do not use official Olympic logos or trademarks in publicising this trip. 

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