After trying not to trip over the tourists crowding around the rosetta stone or biding our time looking at the Assyrians hunting down the last of the native lion population in the Middle East, it was finally time to enter the Agatha Christie archaeology special exhibit according to our timed tickets. While the rest of the museum is free to the public (donations requested), the special exhibits, which last only a few months, have ticket prices for 7 or 8 pounds for students and more for adults.

Although the exhibit is "temporary," this is not obvious from the entrance (nor the entire exhibit) given the high quality of the presentation. The exhibit combines artifacts with a variety of other media including, photographs, text from journal entries or news clipping, and film/video where available.

The Agatha Christie archaelogy exhibit was organized chronologically beginning with her first trip to the Middle East and ending with the death of her and her archeologist (2nd) husband. The exhibit begins with actual film advertisement for the Orient Express and some of Christie's luggage that she took with her. I hadn't realized before how long it took people to travel just 50+ years ago. I flew to Venice in 1.5 hours from London, but it took her several weeks(!) on the train to get there. Then it's another long trip to get from Venice to Cairo to other interesting places in Mesopotamia.

After that eye-opener, the story progressed with artifacts from mesopotamia, pictures, journal entries, photos, home video of her at the archaeological sites. Because of her fame already as a detective novelist, Christie was invited by the wife of the head archaeologist, a big fan, to visit the site. This is where Christie met her 2nd husband and how her archaeological journies continued. For fans of her books, they even trace the history and origins of several of her books that were written while she was there.

Where this special exhibit excelled, and I assume others do as well, was bringing to life a whole other side of a what we thought to be a well known subject. Using their excellent research abilities, and huge collections of artifacts, the curators of this exhibit took us to a different time and place making the familiar unfamiliar and the unfamiliar familiar. The exhibit took about 2 hours to go through (at least) and our only complaint was sore feet. A wheel chair would be great as the whole exhibit is quite accessible. Reservations (can be done over the web--be sure to bring the print out receipt!!!! or they won't give you the tickets--huge glitch in the system) are highly recommended. Many people avoid the exhibit for the cost, but in this case if you have the time to go, book ahead and enjoy--the special exhibits are definitely worth it.

Special note: This particular exhibit is over now, but check out the website to see what the current special exhibit is.

We met our guide (Tom) at the Holborn tube stop, then wound our way through Bloomsbury on our way to the British Museum. Tom pointed out the homes of the famous and infamous, past and present, and we then arrived at the British Museum.

As would be expected, the place is huge and crowded, and one could easily spend weeks there without seeing everything. Tom took us directly to the highlights, and his commentary was insightful and informative, adding immensely to the experience.

After seeing the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon Marbles, the Assyrian friezes, and a wealth of other artifacts, we were left on our own to explore further the things we found most interesting. My friend and I had tea in the snack area in the Great Hall, which was very tasty and reasonably priced. The gift shop is wonderful, with great gift items for everyone on your list, including yourself.

Since we visited during the school year, there were few tourists, but many groups of uniformed school children. Our guide informed us that the children are given free rein so they may develop enthusiasm for art and learning. They were pretty rowdy at times, but it was really great to see their energy and excitement.

Admission to the museum is free, although donations are requested. A tour is a great way to become oriented and then go back to explore the museum's treasures in more depth. Since the museum covers over 13 acres, an orientation tour can save you from wasting your valuable time roaming around aimlessly.

Remember all those Art History and Western Civilization classes you took in high school? No? Well I do, and it felt like I was learning it all over again! Everything from ancient times you ever learned about is here, from Cleopatra's Mummy and the Rosetta Stone; to Gladiator armor and a bust of Augustus; to clocks and weapons from the 17th and 18th centuries; and to medieval jewelry, tile flooring, and much more. The British Museum has everything that tells the story of man from all six inhabited continents.

Wear comfortable shoes and clothes. Plan your whole day around this museum or choose specifically what you want to see. It is absolutely impossible to see everything; I should know, as I tried! Don't forget to stop and donate money (any amount you desire) so that these amazing treasures and finds can continue to remain free for the public to enjoy!

Take the Piccadilly Line to Russell Square and follow the signs. Or ask a local!

Caveat: Never ever go to any museum in England between 11am and 2pm! All schools choose this time to let their cattle roam wild. So, if you want to ponder the meaning of it all without screaming kids or are trying to keep track of your own children, use this time to grab lunch!

The British Museum has to be one of the most extraordinary collections of historical artifacts in the world. As many know, the British had issues with Imperialism and tried to stake claim to almost anything foreign they came upon. This meant taking a lot of artifacts and displaying them in this massive house on Russell Street. I really don't encourage you to do the museum in one day, mainly because I think it's impossible! It took me 2 hours just to see the first floor, which holds their most spectacular artifacts in the Egyptian rooms and the Ancient Greek rooms. The King’s Library is quite interesting.

The main reason people go in the masses to the British Museum is to see the Rosetta Stone, the beautiful mummy cases, and basically the most important part of the Parthenon, The whole top of the Parthenon was a wonderful carved story that Lord Elgin basically stole from the Acropolis when he discovered it. I went to Athens to see the acropolis, and I must admit, it was anti-climatic seeing that the better part of the Parthenon was in the British Museum in London, but that's besides the point.

The crowds in these most popular parts of the museum, especially around the Rosetta Stone, never go away, so you just have to bear the hoards of students and tour groups and move on. I also enjoyed The King’s Library, as it has the most fascinating collection of first-edition books and stuffed extinct birds, reptiles, and even fish. There are also many interesting inventions, including different timepieces, a variety of measuring instruments, and much more.

Please don't miss the other parts of the museum. They have a wonderful display of Korean artifacts, things that you cannot find at any museum in America. They also follow the trail of the Silk Road trade industry, which is really quite fascinating. I really encourage you to take the British Museum in snippets. If you're in London for a week, maybe you could visit the museum in 2-hour increments two or three times that week. If you try it in one day, it could be quite overwhelming because there's such a great deal to see.

And after you've seen enough ceramic vases and ancient coins to last you a lifetime, go out and buy those famous sausages topped with grilled onions from the illegal vendors outside of the museum gates, have a seat on the steps of the museum, and take it all in. You really won't be disappointed.

This museum had it all, from mummies through to the much discussed Elgin Marbles (I played marbles as a kid and was expecting something a little different when I was confronted with the Elgin Marbles. I guess marbles have changed over the years!).

There is, though, something fascinating about death, be it in the form of mummies or the Lindow man. These exhibits seem to capture the fascination of all who visited the museum.

I also found the North American gallery interesting. Having grown up on a diet of Westerns where the Indians were always bad, it was interesting to see the cultural relics that had been collected over the years. It showed a different perspective of the North American Indians.