About this experience
It's hard to believe, but the second most visited museum in the world is the British Museum in London. The first place is held by the Louvre with the famous Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. On this individual tour, we will delve into what attracts millions of visitors to the British Museum every year. I will tell you about the most interesting artifacts and explain the value and significance of each of them.
What to Expect
History of the museum's exhibits
It is in the English collection where you can see artifacts that not only have historical significance but have also revolutionized science, masterpieces whose mysteries remain unsolved to this day.
- Lewis Chessmen, a puzzle that puzzles scientists worldwide.
- Portland Vase from the collection of the Dukes of Portland, known in art history as the most outstanding surviving piece of ancient artistic glass. It inspired Wedgwood to create the famous porcelain series.
- Rosetta Stone, a prominent piece in the museum's collection named after the place of its discovery in Egypt. Thanks to this monument, in 1822 Francois Champollion was able to decipher hieroglyphs and open a window into the world of Ancient Egypt.
- Crystal Skull - there are only four such artifacts in the world (according to various versions). It was long believed that the artifact represented a legacy of the Aztecs, Mayans, or Olmecs, and the skull's age was no less than 500 years. The legend of the crystal skull, found during excavations in the city of Lubaantun (Belize) under an altar, appeared in the basis of the Indiana Jones series of films. However, recent studies by scientists have shown that the skull was made of European crystal using a technology known only since the late 19th century.
During the tour, you will also learn about the secrets of the Parthenon and the pharaohs' tombs, understand how the first writing system originated, and learn the method of deciphering cuneiform tablets from the famous library of Ashurbanipal II.
I conduct research in the Ancient Near East department of the British Museum and will gladly reveal its secrets to you!
Organizational Issues
The tour duration is approximate. It can vary from 1.5 hours to 3 hours according to your preference.
