Itinerary

This experience begins with breakfast at 8.30am at The Montague, where you will meet your guide, before being accompanied to the British Museum to begin your private one-hour tour. When the museum opens to the general public at 10am, you have a further two and a half hours with your blue badge guide to explore the museum and receive a bespoke tour tailored to your preferred subject.

Tour route

  • Museum Exterior  
  • East Basement  
  • Enlightenment Gallery  
  • China and South Asia Gallery  
  • Western Galleries (rooms 73-69) 
  • Suicide Exhibition  
  • War Memorial

Tour highlights

Embark on an exclusive journey through normally publicly restricted areas and hidden realms at the British Museum

Explore the wartime saga of the British Museum's iconic Reading Room, a hub of intellectual resilience during WWII 

Uncover the hidden ties between the Ministry of Information and the British Museum 

Follow the trail of an unexploded bomb that landed within the museum during the Blitz 

Peek behind the scenes to discover precautions against chemical attacks 'back of house' 

Head through a secret door to the galleries 

Hear tales of the British Museum staff members who lived on-site, guarding against looting and fire during air raids 

Marvel at the ingenious temporary roof that shielded the museum during wartime 

Witness the enduring scars of bombing damage etched into the museum's facade 

Explore the strategic protection of key artefacts, revealing wartime preservation efforts in the galleries 

Information

This tour is exclusively for guests of The Montague on the Gardens. Please express your interest in attending this tour either at the point of booking your room or after.

Additional benefits

  • Enjoy the privilege of returning to the museum with priority security queue passes on a future visit 
  • Navigate the tour with a handy map, ensuring you don't miss a moment of historical intrigue 
  • Extend your experience with the opportunity to stay in the museum after the tour concludes 

Price: £1,045 for up to 12 guests

Terms and Conditions apply. View our full experience Terms and Conditions here.

How to book

This tour is exclusively for guests of The Montague on the Gardens. Please express your interest in attending this tour either at the point of booking your room or after by contacting our concierge team.

Exclusive tours

Our exclusive partnership with the British Museum allows our guests VIP access to the museum before doors open to the general public when you book one of our private guided tours.

Images © The Trustees of the British Museum