12 must-see objects at the British Museum
Quick answer
The British Museum's must-sees are the Rosetta Stone and the Parthenon sculptures, followed by the Egyptian mummies, the Assyrian lion-hunt reliefs, the Lewis Chessmen, the Sutton Hoo helmet, the Hoa Hakananai'a moai and the Benin Bronzes. Twelve key objects are listed below, each with its room number and why it matters.
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The 12 key objects, room by room
- 1
Room 4
The Rosetta Stone (196 BC)
The key that unlocked Egyptian hieroglyphs.
- 2
Room 18
The Parthenon sculptures (c. 447–432 BC)
Sculptures from Athena's temple in Athens, a peak of classical art and the centre of a long restitution debate.
- 3
Room 10
Ashurbanipal's Lion Hunt (c. 645 BC)
Assyrian reliefs of astonishing dramatic intensity.
- 4
Rooms 62–63
The Egyptian mummies
Human and animal mummies with painted coffins, the most popular section.
- 5
Room 61
The Tomb of Nebamun paintings (c. 1350 BC)
Egyptian wall-painting fragments of exceptional liveliness and colour.
- 6
Room 17
The Nereid Monument (c. 390–380 BC)
A monumental Lycian tomb with Greek influence.
- 7
Room 40
The Lewis Chessmen (12th century)
Walrus-ivory pieces found on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland.
- 8
Room 41
The Sutton Hoo treasure (7th century)
The finest Anglo-Saxon burial hoard known, with a ceremonial helmet.
- 9
Room 24
Hoa Hakananai'a (Easter Island moai)
A 13th-century basalt statue, one of few displayed outside Rapa Nui.
- 10
Room 25
The Benin Bronzes (16th–18th centuries)
Plaques and heads from the Kingdom of Benin, now at the centre of restitution debates.
- 11
Room 52
The Oxus Treasure (c. 500–300 BC)
Achaemenid Persian goldwork of extraordinary quality.
- 12
Room 93
Samurai armour
Japanese armour and swords of remarkable technical detail.
How to see them in one visit
Group them by area: ground floor (Rosetta, Parthenon, Assyria) and upper floor (mummies, Lewis, Sutton Hoo). Follow the order of our 2-hour route. Rooms can close for works, so check the plan at the entrance. With AnyArt you can scan any object to hear its story.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Rosetta Stone?
In room 4 on the ground floor, in the Egyptian sculpture gallery.
Where are the Parthenon sculptures?
In room 18 on the ground floor.
Where are the mummies?
In rooms 62 and 63 on the upper floor.
Where are the Lewis Chessmen?
In room 40, near the medieval Europe galleries.