private tours of the british museum

COVID19 Rescheduling Policy: Book With Confidence! No Penalty For Rescheduling As Many Times As Necessary

Unveil History Privately: Exclusive British Museum Guided Tou

Delve deep into ancient cultures with personalized guidance on our private museum expedition.

• Babylon Tours London

From €71.25

Discover more about The British Museum

With a world-famous collection spanning 6000 years of human history and every corner of the globe, the British Museum can seem overwhelming – but not with our expert guides! They’ll lead you through a selection of carefully chosen exhibits to ensure you get the best out of your time at this one-of-a-kind museum.  

You’ll explore key highlights of the British Museum’s superb collection, learning all about ancient civilizations and forgotten tribes as you take in the Mummy of Katebet, the Parthenon Marbles, the Lewis Chessmen, beautiful Samurai armor, the ancient Rosetta Stone and so much more. After a few hours of fascinating insights and engaging tales from your guide, we hope you’ll leave inspired by the scope of human achievement contained within this museum’s hallowed halls.  

Highlights Generally Include: (if artwork is not on loan or being restored etc.)

The Rosetta Stone, the key to deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphics

The Parthenon Marbles, created under the supervision of master architect and sculptor, Phidias

The Mummy of Katebet, the Chantress of Amun, who held the title “King of the Gods”

The Lewis Chessmen, a group of 12 th century game pieces carved out of ivory

“Private Tour” means tour guide exclusively for you.

“Semi-Private” means group size is never more than 8 guests maximum.

Prices Vary Based on Group Size

• Adult €71.25 - 570 18 years of age or older
• Youth €19 Between 10 - 17 years of age
• Child €9 Between 0 - 9 years of age

Craig was great, my mom has a hard time with her hip and he let us go at our own pace.

Our guide, Becky, was very knowledgeable, personable, and professional. She offered to customize her tour to our preferences as we were a small group. I would highly recommend taking this tour, as it gave us a foundarion to further explore the more than 4 million pieces in the museum's collection. Many Thanks!!!

Angus Templeton was an great expert guide who gave us a fantastic highlight tour of the British Museum. His insights were great and his personality and enthusiasm made us right at home. Before leaving us he gave us wonderful ideas about how to tour the rest of the Museum on our own.

My guide was awesome. It was very much worth the money. I only had 1 day in London, and I wanted to see as much as possible. One could spend the entire day at the museum, and she made sure I saw the most important artifacts. I would highly recommend the private guided tour.

Angus is a terrific guide. Very knowledgeable and patient too. Loved the Museum.

Cathy is a terrific tour guide - we had two tours with her -- one at the British Museum and one at the National Gallery -- and learned a lot about the exhibits as well as the other works on display. I think this is a tour that is a must when in London.

Great experience! Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable! He kept it fun and exciting...He knew which items to see, explained the historical significance and could answer all our questions! Our teenager loved it too! We really valued this experience... Would recommend this to anyone going to the British Museum!

Christine D

The British Museum was my favorite tour of this trip! Our Tour Guide, Becky was great - she was very knowledgeable and gave us the top objects to see, and added some i was interested in. I was so impressed with her ability to answer all our questions and have very even-sided discussions on the items that specific countries wanted back - would definitely book this tour again on our next trip - in two hours you can only see a very small part of this museum.

Young lady was very knowledgeable and personable.

Private tour guide was knowledgeable, engaging and friendly personality.

FavoriteWalks

Highly recommend the 2.5 hour private tour with Becky who has such passion for history, myth, art and artifacts - all of which can be found in the British museum with its massive collection. The three of us all appreciated the time to stop and ask questions. We covered Babylonian, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Mayan periods. Becky is completing a masters in museum studies and a perfect guide.

Y3181LMmichelleb

The British Museum is amazing and HUGE, and there are only so many tours of museums you can do in one trip right? This is not to be missed. We booked ahead of time for the 2 hour private guided tour. I remember thinking, maybe I should just go to the museum and get the audio tour. So glad we opted for this. The Tour Guide, Jake met us at 10:00 for a 2 hour private tour. Jake was extremely organized, took us on a great tour showing us several of the important exhibits in walking order, and pointed out things and highlights he thought interesting. The highlights were extremely interesting. But beyond that Jake had an educational background that made him the best guide for those exhibits AND he liked what he was doing. We were extremely pleased with the tour but the tour guide REALLY made it happen for us! Thanks Babylon for a great tour.

My husband and I had been to the British Museum a couple of times, but always felt a little overwhelmed and like there was a lot we were missing because there is so much to see. So, we decided to hire a private guide. Going through the museum with our guide turned out to be one of the highlights of our UK vacation. I highly recommend hiring a guide! We met up with our guide, Jake, outside the British Museum on Aug 27th. He was on time, friendly and instantly made us feel welcome. He was really knowledgeable about the museum and his passion about the history of the exhibits was obvious. As we moved through the exhibits and artifacts, Jake really made them come to life with his explanations, stories, and historical accounts. Thanks to Jake for making our day so special!

Our tour guide, Becky, was incredibly knowledgeable and adjusted the tour to fit our interests. The time flew by because she had such interesting insights on every major artifact. We'd visited the British Museum before but it was so much more meaningful with a great guide.

Best of the British Museum Private Tour

• In England’s fascinating capital city, visit the British Museum and see the best of what it has to offer with a dedicated personal tour guide just for you and your group. There is so much to see and learn here, and you’ll leave feeling fulfilled.
• Relax as your guide leads you expertly through the seventy galleries at the museum - you’ll be shown the most interesting and exciting artifacts.
• Tick off some of the museum and gallery highlights in just 2.5 hours without getting lost or spending time in areas you’re not interested in!

Tour Description

What's included.

• Expert, English-speaking private tour guide

Sites Visited

• British Museum

In a private group, meet your expert tour guide and explore the British Museum on a guided tour that shows you the very best of what’s on display here. Walk through ancient Greece and marvel at Egyptian mummies; learn about the Rosetta Stone and admire some Anglo Saxon treasure.

Having a dedicated tour guide at your side throughout the tour means you can tailor your museum visit to your interests - spend more time in the areas that inspire you, and learn about the things you really want to know more about. Don’t be afraid to ask questions throughout, and by the time your 2.5 hours are done you’ll be feeling educated about history, art and more!

From the Elgin Marbles, originally built to honor the goddess Athena, to the huge Easter Island Head, there is so much to admire at the British Museum. Treasure, sculptures, ancient weapons, jewels, artwork and so much are on display to be discovered by you and your group as you traverse the halls of this incredible museum. Your guide will share anecdotes and facts are you explore, and keep you engaged with what you can see around you at every moment of the tour.

Thousands of 5-Star Reviews

Tripadvisor, know before you go, meeting point.

Montague Place - Open in Google Maps

Important Notes

Cancelation Policy

This tour is subject to a 24-hour cancelation policy. If you wish to cancel or amend your booking, you can do so without charge by contacting us up to 24 hours in advance of your expected departure time.

Yes, you are free to explore the British Museum once the tour has finished.

You should expect to receive an email within minutes of booking with your confirmation voucher.

A booking cannot be amended with less than 24 hours notice. Amendments made before this window are possible, but may incur a charge. Any bookings made within the 24 hour window are final and cannot be amended or subject to compensation.  This policy is valid across most of our tours, but is subject to some exceptions. In the case of a tour not being in line with this 24-hour amendment policy, you will find this information in the "Know Before You Go" section of the specific tour page. Tours cannot be amended/canceled with less than 24 hours notice. We are unable to provide compensation for cancelations with the 24 hour window prior to your tour departure, nor can tour dates or times be amended. Bookings made with the 24 hour window are final.

• Book with Confidence: Free cancellations up to 24 hours before the experience begins (local time).
• Multilingual Customer Service: Talk to us, we are here to help.
• No Hidden Costs: All taxes and fees included.

You Might Also Like...

WWII Secrets of Westminster, Churchill’s War Rooms & Museum Walking Tour

Best of London: Tower of London, Thames River Ride & Changing of the Guards

Tower of London Early Access Tour with Private Beefeater Audience

London tours, buckingham palace tours, get to know city wonders.

A City Wonders tour is the product of meticulous research, detailed planning, and a passion for providing customers with travel experiences they will cherish forever.

With City Wonders it's not just facts, our passionate guides tell you the stories that bring the sights to life.

• All of our guides are experts in their field
• We only hire fluent English-speakers so nothing is ever lost in translation
• We focus on the little details and anecdotes that make City Wonders so special

Recommended London Posts

The 5 Best British Museum Tours [2024 Reviews]

As the first national public museum of the world, the British Museum brings all kinds of cultures together with countless artifacts and historical accounts.

While there are plenty of incredible art museums in London, but if you’re a history buff like me, this is a can’t-miss! There’s a ton to see, however, so I highly recommend taking a proper tour to guide you through the most notable pieces.

I’ve carefully curated a guide to the 5 top tours of the British Museum out there, so you don’t have to worry about which ones are actually worth your time and money. Let’s jump right in!

Be sure to see our reviews of Thames Dinner Cruises , Windsor Castle Tours and Buckingham Palace Tours .

Best British Museum Guided Tours

Quick answer: the 5 best british museum private & guided tours for 2024.

• The British Museum London Guided Museum Tour – Semi-Private 8ppl Max
• Private Guided Tour of the British Museum
• Kid-Friendly Private British Museum Highlights and Walk to Covent Garden London
• The British Museum London – Exclusive Guided Museum Tour
• British Museum In-Depth Private Guided Tour

British Museum Tour Reviews

1. the british museum london guided museum tour – semi-private 8ppl max.

• Duration: 2.5 Hours
• Departure: Great Russell St, London WC1B 3DG
• Departure Time: 10:00 AM, 1:30 & 5:00 PM
• Includes:  Semi-private museum tour, no more than 8 participants, professional tour guide

London’s cultural landscape is like some type of treasure trove filled with intense history, art, and fascinating artifacts. The British Museum London Guided Museum Tour – Semi-Private 8ppl Max  experience is one of those top-tier tours that I wish I’d found out about earlier.

If you want an in-depth yet intriguing way to see the over 6,000 years of history under one roof, look no further!

The tour starts off by meeting the guide right outside the museum gates, where we instantly hit it off and were able to ask them any questions we had along the way.

They asked us about any specific interests we had, and as our group was limited to just 8 participants, it felt very intimate and fun. We then received a briefing of what to expect and the history of the museum, which really set the tone for a fascinating next few hours.

Our whole group was open to seeing pretty much anything and everything, so we started off by following our educated guide through the different rooms to see a wide array of impressive ancient and medieval exhibits.

The Rosetta Stone was so fascinating to me, especially because it essentially unlocked the ancient Egyptian world, from the language to their afterlife beliefs.

Expand To See More See Less

I’m a huge fan of ancient Greek sculptures, so being able to see the Parthenon sculptures was something of a dream – we even learned how a massive gold and ivory image of Athena used to stand inside the Parthenon!

What was really cool was that we easily had the best guide in the place, who spoke to us more like longtime friends and relayed information about each artifact in a way that was easy to comprehend.

They never made us feel like we should have a certain level of knowledge, and while our group varied in education about certain subjects he spoke to all of us in a way that made sense.

Overall, this was a great tour that I’d recommend to anyone of any age or background who’d like to explore the British Museum in an effective way.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience, other london experiences you may enjoy:, 2. private guided tour of the british museum.

• Duration: 2 Hours
• Departure: Great Russell Street, London, UK
• Departure Time: 10:00 AM, 2:00 & 5:00 PM
• Includes: Licensed and insured guide, entrance ticket

I don’t know about you, but I’ve definitely taken some boring museum tours throughout my life and don’t always look forward to them. Many times, I’ve just wandered through museums and hoped for the best by reading up beforehand on some of the sites I’m most interested in.

However, with tours like the Private Guided Tour of the British Museum , my mind was changed and I discovered that with the right guide the entire experience can be elevated.

Upon meeting our guide, I was instantly captivated by both her knowledge and skilled way of speaking while showcasing the best the museum has to offer.

Sometimes it just feels like you’re wandering around or the guide is making things up as they go, but that was not the case here. She was a true leader and clearly knew exactly what she was talking about and where to go, taking a seamless route that tied everything together, effortlessly.

Even though the artifacts from room to room vary wildly, she somehow weaved each piece of history together, relating the different civilizations and discoveries to the other.

It was a super cool way to see the museum and learn, especially as I am a big fan of world history!

I learned a ton of fun facts and larger concepts that I admittedly didn’t even know about prior to this tour, and I loved how she included plenty of lesser-known artifacts, too.

The museum is so massive, that it will not only save you time but frustration by going on a curated experience such as this tour, with a guide who has a ton of in-depth knowledge.

While the tour lasts only a few hours, it flew by even faster than expected thanks to the captivating stories regaled to our little group. While it is a bit more expensive, this is a small-group experience maxing out at 6 people, so it’s well worth it!

Search For Other London Experiences You May Enjoy

3. kid-friendly private british museum highlights and walk to covent garden london.

• Duration: 3 Hours
• Departure Time: 10:00 AM & 2:00 PM
• Includes: Local guide, Professional Blue Badge guide, Private Tour

While the British Museum may not be the first sight that pops into your head when planning a trip with kids in tow, it’s actually perfect for curious young minds.

If that sounds like what you’re looking for, the Kid-Friendly Private British Museum Highlights and Walk to Covent Garden London Tour  is just the ticket!

Lead by expert guides who clearly have a knack for teaching and keeping younger people intrigued, this interactive tour is tailored specifically for children aged 6 to 12 years old. However, that’s not to say that it’s not for people older than that, or the information isn’t accurate.

In fact, I had a fantastic time and felt like this was some of the most fun I’ve ever had on a museum tour – as a child or as an adult!

The tour starts out with a warm welcome from your guide, who right off the bat created a space that made everyone feel comfortable enough to learn and ask any questions.

From Egyptian mummies and Greek sculptures to decoding hieroglyphics, this hands-on experience made these artifacts come to life.

As this is a private tour, you don’t have to worry about big groups and your guide will even help personalize the experience.

I know that moving through museums with kids can be a delicate manner, but our tour guide kept everyone so entertained that there wasn’t even a moment for them to think about “accidentally” touching something they weren’t supposed to or playing tag next to ancient artifacts.

They gave us a shortlist to the most popular sites, narrating each one with fascinating historical accounts in a way that younger kids can easily digest. If you’re looking to bring children to the British Museum, look no further, because this is the best tour of them all.

4. The British Museum London – Exclusive Guided Museum Tour

• Departure Time: 10:00 AM, 1:30 and 5:00 PM
• Includes:  Guided museum tour, tour guide

The British Museum holds around 8 million items – needless to say, you can spend quite a bit of time there if you don’t know what you’re looking for.

With The British Museum London – Exclusive Guided Museum Tour , you can rest easy knowing that your guide will create a custom itinerary designed around what you’re most interested in seeing!

These are the experts who know the museum like the back of their hand, maximizing your time in this absolute gem of an attraction.

Another huge pull for me with this tour was just how affordable it was for the sheer value received, making it one of those “biggest bang for your buck” experiences!

Lasting 2.5 hours, I wasn’t prepared for just how much I was able to see and learn about, at a pace that went smoothly and just made sense. This definitely isn’t one of those run-of-the-mill museum tours where the guide is just rattling off commonly known information!

We started out by meeting our guide right outside the museum gates, where they gave us a briefing on the history of the museum building and some of the most notable artifacts. We then got to head right inside, wasting no time to get to the best parts!

While the Rosetta Stone, mummies, and sculptures are absolute musts, I was surprised at the amount of amazing art!

Do not miss the drawings by Botticelli and Michelangelo, the Assyrian reliefs, the Lewis Chessmen, and much more! The tour consisting of carefully selected items was phenomenal, with our guide sharing tons of valuable, entertaining stories.

Our guide tailored our tour to lean a bit towards art as that’s one of my main interests, and I do recommend stopping by these exhibits! If you’re looking to gain a deeper understanding of what humans are capable of, let’s go!

5. British Museum In-Depth Private Guided Tour

• Departure: 49 Great Russell St, London WC1B 3BA
• Departure Time:  Varies
• Includes:  Private expert guide, customizable tour

Are you looking for a tour that’s just a couple of hours long to try and fill your itinerary with a fun, entertaining tour experience?

If so, then check out the British Museum In-Depth Private Guided Tour  is completely customizable, so there’s no more dealing with monotonous tours that you didn’t sign up for!

Known as the “World’s Museum”, expect to see lots of big tourist attractions, along with plenty of “hidden” gems that most don’t get to see.

I met up with my guide right outside the museum, and while I chose to do a morning tour, there are tons of different start times available for added convenience. As it’s just a few hours long, I’d say it’s super easy to fit into even the busiest of itineraries!

Before we got started, he did ask me if I had any specific interests or preferences as to what we explore inside the museum, creating a customized schedule based on that.

I couldn’t believe how affordable this tour was when I realized that it was completely private, which ended up literally just being me and my guide.

It was like I had a best friend local to the area taking me around to all the sites I want to see while giving me a fun, intriguing narrative on each one. I was able to ask plenty of questions, and he answered each one with confidence which only enriched my experience further.

I felt that this tour was very comfortable with a pace that wasn’t too fast nor too slow, even taking breaks intermittently to rest and go for a coffee/pastry!

I can say with confidence that this guide knew just about everything in the museum, and on the private tour I felt comfortable asking anything that came to mind. I highly recommend this tour for anyone!

Tour Guides

The The British Museum London Guided Museum Tour - Semi-Private 8ppl Max is our Editors Choice for the best British Museum tour

Robert Baker

Related articles, the 5 best stonehenge tours from london [2024 reviews], the 5 best florence wine tours [2024 reviews], the 7 best vatican tours ⛪ [2024 reviews], the 5 best seine river dinner cruises [2024 reviews].

• Top Destinations
• Mexico City, Mexico
• Tokyo, Japan
• Paris, France
• Rome, Italy
• London, United Kingdom
• All Destinations
• Upcoming Experiences
• Private Walking Tours
• Small-Group Tours
• Tours for Kids
• Museum Tours
• Food, Wine and Market Tours
• Newly Added Tours
• Audio Guides
• Pre-Trip Lectures
• Admin Dashboard
• My Experiences
• My Favorites
• Cookies Preferences
• Client Orders
• Monthly Commissions
• My Advisor Profile
• Advisor Toolkit
• Guide Dashboard

Credit Balance

Transactions are based on current exchange rates and performed in USD. There maybe slight variations in the price estimates.

British Museum Tour: A Guided Crash Course

• Enjoy tailored insights and stories that cater to your interests, whether you're an art aficionado or a history buff.
• Navigate thousands of years of history and explore exhibits you might not see on your own with a knowledgeable guide who brings artifacts to life.

• You want to experience everything the museum offers with insights that go beyond what’s written on the plaques.
• You’d like a personalized experience tailored to your interests, whether in art, history, or archaeology.
• You're interested in exploring a collection that spans the globe, offering a deep dive into a myriad of cultures, from the ancient Greek masterpieces to the mysteries of Egyptian hieroglyphs and more.
• British Museum
• Depending on your group size, we may be required by the venue to order headsets, in which case you’ll see a “Headset Fee” added to your order. If you would like to guarantee headsets for your tour regardless of your group size, please email us and we’ll do our best to get them reserved for you.
• There will be a break in the tour to stop and use bathroom facilities as well as opportunities to stop and rest along the way if needed. Please communicate any mobility needs or concerns with our team at the time of booking. 

Additional Trip-Planning Resources

• Get the most out of your trip to the museum with a pre-trip talk: Must-See Treasures of the British Museum
• Be sure to wear comfortable shoes. While you’ll be inside, you’ll still be covering a lot of ground! The British Museum is one of the largest museums in the world, after all.
• Grab your sketchpad and channel your inner artist. Drawing is allowed in the galleries.

Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ .

See the British Museum with Context

Get to know one of the art historians leading this tour.

You May Also Like

Roman Remains in London Audio Guide

Victoria and Albert Museum Tour: A Guided Crash Course

National Gallery Tour: A Guided Crash Course with Skip-the-Line Tickets

London Auction Houses Tour: Decoding the Art Market

Uncover the secrets of history with british museum tickets and a local expert, book a tour.

• Our Experts
• Working with Context
• View All Cities
• Sustainable Tourism
• Refer a Friend for $50
• Travel Updates
• Advisor Login
• Expert Portal

Subscribe to our Newsletter

• Privacy Statement & Security
• Cancellation Policy

• London Walks

Museums and Galleries

• Day Tours From London
• Overnight Tours
• Stonehenge Tours
• Military Tours
• Rambling Tours
• Virtual Tours of Britain
• Paris Day Tours
• Day Tours from Paris
• Overnight Tours of France
• Normandy Tours
• Airport Transfers
• Rome Day Tours
• Day Tours from Rome
• Overnight Tours of Italy
• Special Interest Tours

We have expert tour guides, fluent in all languages, for all London and Britain's Museums and Galleries. Contact us for any not listed.

British Museum Tour

Discover the highlights of the British Museum on a private two hour tour, or include the Museum on a flexible full day London day tourThe British Museum was founded in 1753 and today has approx ...

National Gallery Tour

National portrait gallery, anthony met us at the train station ready to go. in four hours we went through the history of england beginning with the christian crusades and ending with harry potter and the royal wedding. what can i say amazing, why choose us.

Because you insist on the longest-established and most experienced service available in Britain. Founded in 1958, British Tours is still under the same management. About Us

Who is your Guide?

Our guides are personable educated men and women, chosen for their knowledge, special interests, backgrounds and personality. They will collect you by car from any central London location and guide you inside places of historic importance

Follow us on our journey