British Museum

Sometimes an experience is a frame of mind. How you feel on the day, what your expectations are, what mood you are in. The British Museum is one of my “go-to” places in London. I’ve been in 10’s of times. I find it a wonderful place. Full of art and “treasure” from civilizations past and present.

The dome that encloses the courtyard and creates the Queen Elizabeth II Great Court, was completed in 2000. It’s certainly eye catching and there is a smallish viewing window where one, indeed many, can and do take the famous view looking out over it.

The Greek area contains many sculptures (The Elgin Marbles) that once adorned the side of the Parthenon in Athens. Not far away are Assyrian Wall sculptures brought back from Nimrud, now modern day Northern Iraq. The history of how these wonderful things ended up in the British Museum, and why they are still there, is often an emotive and complex argument and one that is frequently not factually not correct! The fact that they can be viewed free of charge, by anyone who is able to visit London, is terrific.

In the Egyptian “hall” stands the world famous Rosetta Stone, that facilitated the cracking of the code of hieroglyphics. It also contains some wonderful sculpture.

You may be wondering why I do not show you the view from the window mentioned giving the view over the courtyard, or the Rosetta Stone, or indeed the Sutton Hoo Helmet, or the Lewis chess pieces? The answer to this is that the place was packed, absolutely rammed full of people sometimes four or five deep at the more famous exhibits. The Egyptian mummy collection was pretty much impossible to even get out of once in. After trying, and finally making it out of there I’d had enough. I left disappointed by the whole visit. Add to that the queue to get through security that has popped up in a tent to the left of the entrance, made the whole experience less enjoyable and wonderful than it should have been, much less.

I am glad that the museum is popular, that it’s contents are being cared for. I’m delighted that people (like me) can visit free and see these wonderful things. I’m sad that for me it’s now not the pleasant viewing experience that it once was. I’ll be in no hurry to return.

Chatter: Canon EOS 30 with 40mm STM. Ilford Delta 400, developed in Rodinal 1+50.