Plan your visit

• We're limiting numbers of people in the Museum to ensure there's room for you to safely enjoy your visit. You're advised to book a timed slot in advance to guarantee entry. 
• To book simply pick the date and time you'd like to visit. Please only book tickets for the dates and times you plan to attend.
• If the date or time you wish to visit has no availability, please note that walk-up visits are available each day for those who arrive at the Museum without advance bookings. But this does depend on capacity, as walk-up entry cannot be guaranteed. Please speak to staff on your arrival to enquire about availability.
• To book tickets for exhibitions, visit our exhibition pages. Your exhibition ticket also gives you access to the permanent collection.
• If you need any access assistance, please see our Accessibility page.

Important information about your ticket booking

• Tickets to the permanent collection are free. 
• You can book tickets up to a maximum of nine people in your group.  
• From 1 June self-led groups of 10 or more people will need to book a group ticket. Please see the Group visits page for more details.
• School groups should contact the Box Office on +44 (0)20 7323 8181. 
• Tickets will be released on a regular basis, so if there's no availability showing then please check again soon. Sign up to our newsletter to receive the latest updates. 
• We'll email your ticket to you, and you'll need to show it either printed out or on your device when you arrive.

• Members do not need to book for the permanent collection or our exhibitions the Citi exhibition Feminine power: the divine to the demonic (closing 25 September 2022) or Hieroglyphs: unlocking ancient Egypt (opening on 13 October 2022). You'll need to show your Membership card to gain entry.
• If you can't find your card, please contact friends@britishmuseum.org or visit the Membership Desk in the Great Court. 
• Visit our Membership page for enquiries or to find out about becoming a Member.

Our opening hours are daily, 10.00–17.00 (Fridays: 20.30)
Last entry: 16.00 (Fridays: 19.30)

• Box Office: 10.00–16.50, Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays)
• Cloakroom: 10.00–17.00 (20.30 on Fridays). Last deposit is one hour before closing.
• Families Desk: 10.00–12.30 and 13.15–16.30, weekends and London Borough of Camden school holidays only. See summer Families Desk closures.
• Ford Centre for Young Visitors: 10.00–16.30, weekends and London Borough of Camden school holidays only
• Galleries: 10.00–17.00 (please note: we begin clearing galleries 10 minutes before they close)
• Great Court: 10.00–17.30 (Fridays 20.30)
• Guide Desk: 10.00–16.30
• Information Desk: 10.00–17.00
• Ticket Desk: 10.00–16.30

Find out about upcoming late opening on Fridays.

The Museum is closed 24–26 December. 

Special exhibitions are open daily 10.00–17.00 (last entry at 16.00) and on Fridays until 20.30 (last entry at 19.30).

Please arrive at the time stated on your ticket – we cannot guarantee admission before or after your allotted time slot.

We begin clearing galleries 10 minutes before they close.

• Bookshop: daily, 10.00–17.00
• Family shop: daily, 10.00–17.00 
• Collections shop and Grenville Room: daily, 10.00–17.00
• Online shop: open 24 hours a day

• Court Cafés: daily, 10.00–17.00
• Great Court Restaurant: daily, 11.30–17.00 (last sitting 16.00).
• Pizzeria: daily, 11.00–16.00
• Montague Café: closed
• Coffee Lounge: closed

Find out more about the Museum's cafés and restaurants. 

Booking requests for the department study rooms at the British Museum main site can now be accepted. Opening hours vary.

Our library and archive are open by appointment: Tuesday – Thursday, 10.00–13.00 and 14.00–16.00.

• Opening hours: 10.00–17.00 (20.30 on Fridays).
  • Last deposits are one hour before closing time.
  • Please collect items 30 minutes before closing time.
• The cloakroom can be found by turning left immediately after passing through the Main entrance to the Museum. 
• Please note that items of luggage weighing more than 8kg and larger than 40x40x50cm (including all wheeled suitcases) are not permitted. 
  • Please see the restricted items section for full details.
  • Storage for luggage is available at major rail stations, including Euston, King's Cross and Charing Cross.
• Use of the cloakroom is charged per-item:
  • Coats – £2
  • Bags up to 4kg – £2.50
  • Bags 4–8kg – £5
  • Umbrellas – £1
  • Fold-up pushchairs – free
• Members can use the cloakroom free of charge. The same restrictions apply.
• You must retrieve items from the cloakroom before you leave the Museum site.
• In the event of a fire evacuation, the cloakroom will be closed immediately and you must follow our fire evacuation instructions. Our staff will help to retrieve your items from the cloakroom as soon as possible after the Museum reopens.
• Please note that the cloakroom has limited capacity, and when this capacity is reached, it cannot accept items until space becomes available again.
• The Museum reserves the right to vary or alter these conditions without prior notice.

If you've lost an item while visiting the Museum, please email lostproperty@britishmuseum.org

• Free wifi is available for all visitors to the Museum.
• Please connect to 'British Museum WiFi' only.
• You'll be required to supply your full name and email address before using the service.
• Free wifi is funded by the Mayor of London and Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport. Connectivity is supported by the Daisy Group.
• Charging phones and plugging in any other electronics is not allowed.

For information about facilities for parents, babies and young children, please see the Family visits page.

If you need help during your visit, please speak to a uniformed member of staff.

For information about facilities and resources for disabled visitors please see the Accessibility at the Museum page.

If you need assistance during your visit, please speak to a uniformed member of staff.

• Hand-held flash photography and video recording is allowed in most galleries for private purposes only.
• Signs will indicate where photography is restricted.
• Tripods, monopods and selfie sticks may not be used inside the Museum building.
• In special circumstances, a permit to use these items can be issued – if you have any queries, contact the Museum at filming@britishmuseum.org or on 020 7323 8380
• For questions regarding commercial photography or filming, please see our Commercial page.