A mini guide to
The British Museum, garden squares and literary London
1 / 10Welcome to the neighborhood
Bloomsbury is London's intellectual quarter, home to the British Museum, the University of London and a series of leafy garden squares. It has strong literary associations, from Charles Dickens to the Bloomsbury Group.
Fitzrovia, just to the west, has lively Charlotte Street restaurants and a cluster of design studios, making this an easy area to combine culture with a good meal.
Highlights
If you only have a few hours, these are good places to begin.
A Victorian stable block turned arts venue, showing fashion, film and subculture exhibitions at the end of a cobbled Colonnade.
According to OpenStreetMap contributors. Check with the venue before you go.
London's long-running LGBTQ+ bookshop on Marchmont Street, open since 1979, with a loyal community of readers.
One of the world's great museums, home to the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies and Parthenon sculptures beneath a glass-roofed Great Court.
According to OpenStreetMap contributors. Check with the venue before you go.
A packed university museum of ancient Egyptian and Sudanese objects, in a few rooms at UCL.
According to OpenStreetMap contributors. Check with the venue before you go.
Directions Report a problem with Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archeology
The story of London's first children's charity, with works by Hogarth and a Handel collection, on Brunswick Square.
A contemporary art gallery on Old Gloucester Street, showing artists from across the world.
Find your way
The map shows Bloomsbury & Fitzrovia and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists the nearest stations and how to reach the area.
Insider tips
The British Museum is free to enter, but timed tickets may apply to busy exhibitions.
Russell Square and Bedford Square are good places to sit for a picnic.
Bloomsbury has several independent bookshops, especially around Museum Street.
The British Museum is quieter first thing or after 3pm.
Tips from the Britlens editors
Keep exploring London
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