Start your London adventure at the iconic British Museum, where 2 million years of history await! You’ll discover the gems of this world-famous collection as our expert guides share tales of lost civilizations and ancient tribes. Marvel at the Mummy of Katebet and the Parthenon Marbles, discover beautiful Samurai armor and learn all about the ancient Rosetta Stone on this carefully curated tour of the museum’s unmissable pieces. You’ll leave the British Museum full of thought-provoking facts and a newfound appreciation for the incredible achievements of humanity – across history and around the globe.
After a break for lunch, we’ll head to the National Gallery of London, one of the UK’s finest art museums, where the world-famous collection dates as far back as the mid-13th century. Your guide will walk you through the highlights of the collection and arm you with a wealth of insights that bring to life not just the art, but the artists too. Get ready for a journey through time, as you revisit the greatest pieces in the history of art, including Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Virgin of the Rocks”, Georges Seurat’s “Bathers at Asnières”, Raphael’s “Madonna of the Pinks”, Botticelli’s “Venus and Mars,” and Holbein’s spectacular “The Ambassadors” – to mention just a few!
Highlights Generally Include: (if artwork is not on loan or being restored etc.)
Vermeer’s “A Young Woman Standing at a Virginal”
Raphael’s “The Madonna of the Pinks” (La Madonna dei Garofani)
Velázquez’s “The Toilet of Venus” (aka, “The Rokeby Venus’)
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”
Our guide Craig was terrific! Let's face it, there's so much to see at both of these places that the key for the first-time/short-term visitor is knowing where to go quickly, and to avoid wasting time trying to navigate from a map/book. Our guide got us to all the best spots ahead of the hordes, and provided an amazing wealth of knowledge and insights at both the BM and the NG. He'd actually worked at the Museum, and gave us some fantastic inside information on the inner workings that made our tour that much more special and memorable. Incredible collections, and well worth the reasonable price!
Great tour. It had to be split it up in two days because of scheduling but both guides were wonderful!
Our day guide Kathy was outstanding. Wonderful day. Time well spent.
Very knowledgeable tour guide gave us an excellent curated tour.
Had a little hiccup as the meeting place had changed but we did not receive any notice from Viator. The guide made it to where we were and we started the tour as our small group turned out just to be my wife and I. I cannot say enough good things about our guide John from Babylon. He was fun, very knowledgeable and so well prepared. I would highly recommend this tour.