Membership FAQs

The Museum is open daily, 10.00–17.00 (last entry at 16.00). On Fridays the Museum is open until 20.30 (last entry at 19.30). Find out about upcoming late opening on Fridays.

Please note that we begin clearing galleries 10 minutes before they close.

Special exhibitions will open late on Fridays until 20.30 with last entry at 19.30.

The Museum is closed on 24, 25 and 26 December. 

Members do not need to book for the permanent collection or Hieroglyphs: unlocking ancient Egypt (open until 19 February 2023). You'll need to show your Membership card to gain entry.

If you're visiting before your Membership card arrives, please bring the confirmation emails of your Membership purchase to the Membership Desk in the Great Court on the day of your visit. We'll issue a temporary card so you can access your on-site benefits.

The safety and security of our staff and visitors is very important to us. Face coverings are recommended for the protection of yourself and others, unless you’re exempt. Please be considerate of people and exercise social distancing where you can – especially in smaller spaces. Hand sanitiser stations can be found throughout the Museum and we recommend washing or sanitising your hands regularly. See the Visit page for more information.

The Museum's shops, Court café and Great Court Restaurant are open. Please visit the Food and drink page for more information. We encourage contactless payment where possible, but cash will be accepted. 

The safety and security of our staff and visitors is very important to us. Face coverings are recommended for the protection of yourself and others, unless you’re exempt. Please be considerate of people and exercise social distancing where you can – especially in smaller spaces.

The Members' Room is open 10.00–17.00 Saturday–Thursday, and 10.00–20.30 on Fridays. It can be accessed through the Egyptian sculpture gallery and up the West Stairs to Level 1 – view on a map. 

Members must show a valid Membership card to gain entry. Members can take in as many guests as their Membership card allows.

View the Members' Room page for more information.

The visitor and Member cloakroom is located at the Great Russell Street entrance of the Museum. Members can deposit up to two items, i.e. one coat and a bag, free of charge.

Please note the Museum does not permit any wheeled items of luggage on-site or folding bikes inside the building. For the latest updates on facilities and restricted items, please see the Visit page.

The Museum cloakroom is operated by British Museum staff. Any items left without the assistance of British Museum staff will be removed and are likely to be disposed of.

Membership staff will be available on-site to help with any queries during your visit. You can also buy or renew your Membership online.

If you have more questions on your Membership, please contact the Membership Office friends@britishmuseum.org and we'd be happy to assist further.

Drawing on dazzling objects from Afghanistan to Greece, Luxury and power: Persia and Greece (until 13 August 2023) explores how luxury shaped the political landscape of Europe and Asia in the first millennium BC. Featuring star loans as well as objects from the British Museum collection, the show brings together exquisitely crafted objects in gold, silver and glass, including the extraordinary Panagyurishte Treasure from Bulgaria.

In a global first, The Citi exhibition China's hidden century (until 8 October 2023) reveals the resilience and innovation of 19th-century China. Between 1796 and 1912 Qing China endured numerous civil uprisings and foreign wars, with revolution ultimately bringing an end to some 2,000 years of dynastic rule and giving way to a modern Chinese republic. This period of violence and turmoil was also one of extraordinary creativity, driven by political, cultural and technological change. In the shadow of these events lie stories of remarkable individuals – at court, in armies, in booming cosmopolitan cities and on the global stage.

Members can also look forward to our forthcoming show on how 1000 years of connection and isolation of Burma shaped the Myanmar of today. 

Members do not need to book for the permanent collection or our special exhibitions Luxury and power: Persia and Greece (until 13 August 2023) or The Citi exhibition China's hidden century (until 8 October 2023). You'll need to show your Membership card to gain entry.

If you're visiting before your Membership card arrives, please bring your Membership purchase confirmation email to the Membership Desk in the Great Court on the day of your visit. We'll then issue a temporary card so you can access your on-site benefits.

Please check the Members' events page for the latest information about online and on-site events. Alternatively, you can subscribe to our emails by contacting friends@britishmuseum.org to find out all the upcoming Members' events. 

We'll continue to offer Members' online events and bring the Museum to Members through an expanded range of online and print content. 

You can book for Members' events online, by calling the Membership office or on-site at the Membership Desk in the Great Court. Please note that additional event fees may apply and event tickets are subject to availability.

• You can order a replacement card by contacting the Membership Office.
  • Email: friends@britishmuseum.org
  • Phone: +44 (0)20 7323 8195
• Please note that replacement cards can take up to 10 working days to be dispatched.
• While the replacement card arrives, a temporary Membership card can be collected from the Membership Desk in the Great Court and used to access all on-site benefits.

Members receive a 10% discount in all the Museum cafés and shops, including the online shop. Please note that the 10% discount excludes alcoholic beverages. 

Members also receive the concession price to the Museum's public events programme, unless specifically stated. 

Please contact the Membership Office with your new details and we'll amend our records.

• Email: friends@britishmuseum.org
• Phone: +44 (0)20 7323 8195

• If you opt for Individual Membership plus Guest, you'll receive one card which will allow you to bring a guest with you to the special exhibitions and Members' Room.
• The guest facility is flexible and you can bring a different person with you to enjoy your Membership benefits each time you visit. 
• With an Individual Membership plus Additional Card, you'll receive two Membership cards, one for you, and one for your named cardholder.
• Your Additional Cardholder will be able to visit the Museum both with and without the primary Member present. This additional card is non-transferable, and will only allow your additional cardholder into the special exhibitions and Members' Room. 

• You can add a Guest Facility or Additional Cardholder to your Membership by: 
  • Purchasing online
  • Contacting the Membership office by calling +44 (0)20 7323 8195
  • Visiting the Membership Desk during Museum opening hours
• You can add a Guest Facility for £30 or an additional cardholder (who must live at the same address as you) for just £24 anytime during your Membership.
• Members who add a Guest Facility will receive one card, which reads 'Admits 2'.
• Individual Members with an additional card holder will each receive one card, which reads 'Admits 1' and these can only be used by the named individuals.
• If you have an Individual Membership with an additional card holder, and wish to add a Guest Facility, this must be added to the primary cardholder's Membership in the first instance.
• A second Guest Facility may then be added to the additional card thereafter.
• Please note that we can change the primary cardholder upon renewal.  
• Please note that upgrades will run alongside the existing Membership year and expire in line with that Membership.

• If you signed up for a recurring annual payment via Direct Debit when you joined, we'll renew your Membership automatically and send you a new Membership card at least 14 days before the debit is due on your account.  
• If you didn't sign up for a recurring annual payment via Direct Debit, you'll receive a letter to remind you when it's time to renew.
• You can renew your Membership online, by calling +44 (0)20 7323 8195 or by returning your renewal form by post. If you've previously paid by credit card, you can change to an annually recurring payment via Direct Debit to renew your Membership at a discounted rate.

You can cancel your Membership by contacting the Membership Office.

• Email: friends@britishmuseum.org
• Phone: +44 (0)20 7323 8195

• If purchasing an item from the British Museum shop online, please add your items to the basket and select 'View Basket' when ready to pay.
• On the following screen, a button will appear marked 'Validate Membership'.
• Please click this button and enter your Membership number when prompted – the Membership discount will then be subtracted from the total value.
• When booking event tickets online for non-Membership events, please enter the number of tickets under the Members option on the 'Select your Tickets' screen – the Membership discount will then be applied to your booking.

See our Membership terms and conditions page for details. 

Your gift Membership starts immediately after purchase.

Gift recipients can bring the confirmation email of the gift purchase and a form of identification to collect their temporary cards from the Membership Desk in the Great Court on the day of their visit to access on-site Membership benefits.

Gift recipients can also access our exclusive online Membership content and digital events.

• The Membership card and Welcome Pack will be sent to the Primary Member's address by default.
• If you'd prefer the pack to be sent to you directly, please put C/O and your address under the Primary Member's details.

• You can find details of our upcoming sleepovers on our Sleepovers page. 
• Catch up on our previous Stay-at-home sleepovers, featuring an interactive quiz and activities based on themes including Egyptians and Christmas. 
• Subscribe to Young Friends to be the first to hear about upcoming Museum sleepovers. To subscribe, visit the Young Friends page.
• For details, please contact the Membership Office:
  • Email: friends@britishmuseum.org
  • Phone: +44 (0)20 7323 8195