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บริติชมิวเซียม หรือที่นิยมเรียกกันว่า พิพิธภัณฑ์อังกฤษ (อังกฤษ: British Museum) ในกรุงลอนดอน สหราชอาณาจักร เป็นหนึ่งในพิพิธภัณฑ์ด้านประวัติศาสตร์และวัฒนธรรมของมนุษยที่สำคัญที่สุดและใหญ่ที่สุดในโลก มีการก่อตั้งขึ้นในปี พ.ศ. 2296 (ค.ศ. 1753) ในเบื้องต้นวัตถุที่เก็บรวบรวมไว้ส่วนใหญ่เป็นของสะสมของเซอร์ แฮนส์ สโลน (Hans Sloane) ซึ่งเป็นแพทย์และนักวิทยาศาสตร์ พิพิธภัณฑ์แห่งนี้เปิดให้บริการแก่สาธารณะเป็นครั้งแรกในวันที่ 15 มกราคมพ.ศ. 2302 (ค.ศ. 1759) ในมงตากูเฮาส์ เมืองบลูมส์เบอร์รี กรุงลอนดอน อันเป็นสถานที่ตั้งของอาคารพิพิธภัณฑ์ในปัจจุบัน
บริติชมิวเซียมเป็นแหล่งรวบรวมวัตถุต่างๆ จากทุกทวีป จำนวนกว่า 7 ล้านชิ้น ซึ่งล้วนมีชื่อเสียง และมีการบันทึกเรื่องราวของวัฒนธรรมมนุษน์จากจุดเริ่มต้นจนถึงปัจจุบัน วัตถุจำนวนมากถูกเก็บไว้ในชั้นใต้ดินของพิพิธภัณฑ์ เนื่องจากไม่มีเนื้อที่เพียงพอ
One of the world's oldest museums, the British Museum is vast and its collections, only a fraction of which can be on public display at any one time, comprise millions of objects. First-time visitors generally head for the mummies, the Rosetta Stone, Lindow Man, the Lewis Chessmen and the Sutton Hoo ship burial.
Indeed, the Sutton Hoo finds provide the centrepiece for the new Sir Paul and Lady Jill Ruddock Gallery (Room 41), designed to display the museum's exceptional early medieval collection. Covering finds from across Europe from AD 300 to 1100, the Ruddock Gallery shows off not only the Anglo-Saxons' iconic Sutton Hoo masked helmet, but also late Roman mosaics and such extraordinary objects as the fourth-century Lycurgus Cup, made to change colour in different lights, and the Kells Crozier, a holy yew wood staff decorated and adapted many times from the ninth century onwards.
Enlightenment: Discovering the World in the eighteenth century is a permanent exhibition of around 5,000 objects chosen to cast light on the period between the mid-eighteenth and the early nineteenth century, a time of great discovery and learning when the British Museum was founded by an Act of Parliament. It is displayed in the restored former King’s Library – a huge neo-classical room built in the 1820s to house the books collected by George III.
Living and Dying, a permanent exhibition in the Wellcome Trust Gallery, explores the ways in which people throughout history have diagnosed and treated disease and coped with death. The exhibition considers attitudes towards burial, mourning and festivals for the dead and features an installation on Western approaches to illness. The first galleries to open as part of the BM's programme of refurbishment are a new gallery of Ancient Iran, featuring masterpieces from the Persian Empire, and a gallery focused on the prehistory of Europe and the Middle East, examining the fundamental changes to human society brought about by the birth of agriculture.
The Great Court is a vast and beautiful covered piazza, designed by Foster and Partners, surrounding the free reference library in former Round Reading Room.
Read our guide to the British Museum's best exhibits or see more of London's best museums
POSTED: TUESDAY OCTOBER 20 2015
http://www.timeout.com/london/museums/british-museum
Don't miss
A-- The Lewis Chessmen, Room 40
The most famous chess set in the world
B-- Oxus Treasure, Room 52
Fabulous metalwork from ancient lran
C-- The Royal Game of Ur, Room 56
A popular pastime in the ancient world
D-- The Portland Vase, Room 70
The Roman inspiration for Wedgwood
E-- Samurai armour, Room 93
Military might in medieval Japan
F-- Ceramic tomb figures, Room 33
Made for a Tang dynasty general
G-- Ivory pendant mask, Room 25
A masterpiece of African art
H-- Easter Island statue Hoa Hakananai'a, Room 24
A colossal figure from a lost civilisation
I-- The Rosetta Stone, Room 4
The key to deciphering hieroglyphs
J-- Assyrian Lion Hunt reliefs, Room 10
An ancient king's triumph over nature
K-- Horse from the Mausoleum of Halikarnassos, Room 21
Sculpture from one of the ancient world's seven wonders
L-- Parthenon sculptures, Room 18
Iconic sculpture from ancient Greece
A-- The Lewis Chessmen, Room 40
The most famous chess set in the world
In Room 40 (level 3) lie the most famous chess set in the world. Discovered on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland (thus their name) in 1831, these 12th century chess pieces are thought to be made in Norway. Carved from walrus ivory and whale teeth, they were in surprisingly good condition when found. All in all, 78 pieces which include 8 kings, 8 queens, 16 bishops, 15 knights, 12 rooks and 19 pawns were found - more than enough for just one chess set. Because of their good condition and odd numbers, they are thought to be stock pieces for replacing those lost or broken.
Check out the famed Beserkers (the rook piece) with his teeth on his shield as well as the forlorn Queen with her hand on the face tilting to her side.
Check out the famed Beserkers (the rook piece) with his teeth on his shield as well as the forlorn Queen with her hand on the face tilting to her side.
B-- Oxus Treasure, Room 52
Fabulous metalwork from ancient lran
In Room 50 (level 3) is a hoard of gold and silver metalwork (dating back to the 5th century B.C.) found by the the Oxus River in the 19th century. Their makers, the Persians, were known to be skillful metalworkers.
The main pieces on the display include a griffin headed bracelet and a horse chariot complete with riders.
The main pieces on the display include a griffin headed bracelet and a horse chariot complete with riders.
C-- The Royal Game of Ur, Room 56
A popular pastime in the ancient world
In Room 56 (level 3) is an popular pastime in ancient Sumer. The game (also known as the Game of Twenty Squares) that dates back to 2600 B.C. is apparently still being played in present day Iraq. Interestingly, the game, which is played with two sets of markers and a tetrahedral dice, can be seen scratched out on the base of one of the Assyrian guardian figure (presumably by bored Assyrian guards) in the British Museum.
D-- The Portland Vase, Room 70
The Roman inspiration for Wedgwood
In Room 70 (level 3) is a fine example of a Roman cameo glass vase. Made by etching into several layers of glass fused together, the vase dates back back to 5 A.D. The piece on display in the British Museum was there since 1810 and is claimed to be the original inspiration to the many Wedgewood design.
Note that the vase was smashed onto the floor by a drunken student in 1845 and was severely damaged as a result. Proper piecing it back began only in 1987 when a suitable epoxy resin was found. To be honest, you can't really see where the cracks are - a proof that the restorers have done an excellent job.
Note that the vase was smashed onto the floor by a drunken student in 1845 and was severely damaged as a result. Proper piecing it back began only in 1987 when a suitable epoxy resin was found. To be honest, you can't really see where the cracks are - a proof that the restorers have done an excellent job.
E-- Samurai armour, Room 93
Military might in medieval Japan
Few ventured up to level 5 of the Museum and if you do, you would be rewarded with an extensive display of samurai armour (in Room 93) - a raw display of the military might in medieval Japan. Even after centuries, the armour (with its whiskers and all) still looks rather intimidating. Check out for the accompanying samurai swords and daggers, as well as the history behind the making of the weapons.
F-- Ceramic tomb figures, Room 33
Made for a Tang dynasty general
G-- Ivory pendant mask, Room 25
A masterpiece of African art
H-- Easter Island statue Hoa Hakananai'a, Room 24
A colossal figure from a lost civilisation
You can't possibly miss this colossal figure (Room 24 on Ground floor) from a lost Polynesian civilisation. Dating back to 1250, this imposing monolithic human figure (ormoai) is one of 887 found. It was said that the obsession to produce them is one of reason for the depletion of much needed resources, which led to the eventual demise of their creators.
I-- The Rosetta Stone, Room 4
The key to deciphering hieroglyphs
Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs has always baffled scholars with its pictorial characters. Like all languages, there is certainly a pattern behind it but the key to that is only fully unlocked with the discovery of the Rosetta Stone (Room 4 on Ground floor) in 1799 in the French expedition to Egypt. It was then brought under British possession when they defeated the French in Egypt in 1801 and brought to the British Museum in 1802.
Inscribed on the stone is the decree issued by King Ptolemy V in 196 B.C. But the fascinating thing is that the decree was inscribed in three languages - ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, Demotic script and ancient Greek. Call it a tri-language dictionary if you will, the link proves to be the key to unlock our understanding of the Egyptian hieroglyphs.
There is a constant crowd around this exhibit. For some reason, the light around the dark coloured stone is dimmer than I would prefer so you might have to squint your eyes a bit to catch the inscriptions.
Inscribed on the stone is the decree issued by King Ptolemy V in 196 B.C. But the fascinating thing is that the decree was inscribed in three languages - ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, Demotic script and ancient Greek. Call it a tri-language dictionary if you will, the link proves to be the key to unlock our understanding of the Egyptian hieroglyphs.
There is a constant crowd around this exhibit. For some reason, the light around the dark coloured stone is dimmer than I would prefer so you might have to squint your eyes a bit to catch the inscriptions.
เพิ่มเติม
http://www.britishmuseum.org/visiting/planning_your_visit/object_trails/1_hour.aspx#1
J-- Assyrian Lion Hunt reliefs, Room 10
An ancient king's triumph over nature
On the way to the Parthenon sculptures, you'll pass by the two intimidating Assyrian guardian figures (depicted with a bull or lion's body, eagle's wings, and human's head) on your left. Just behind these figures in Room 10 (Ground floor) lie reliefs of Assyrian Lion Hunts featuring hunts led by King Assurbanipal, one of the last great neo-Assyrian kings of the 6th century B.C. These reliefs, excavated from Nineveh, show the King triumphing over lions - a symbol of the King's ability to guard the nation.
K-- Horse from the Mausoleum of Halikarnassos, Room 21
Sculpture from one of the ancient world's seven wonders
L-- Parthenon sculptures, Room 18
Iconic sculpture from ancient Greece
One of the most controversial exhibits in the British Museum tucks right at its western end. In Room 18 (Ground floor) lie the Parthenon sculptures, which once adorned the Parthenon in Athens, a temple built nearly 2,500 years ago for the Greek goddess Athena. The sculptures were damaged over years of neglect as the temple was converted to other uses. The final straw came in 1687 when the former temple was used as a gunpowder storage as city was besieged by the Venetian - it blew up, bringing the entire roof down.
Lord Elgin, the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire brought part of the surviving sculptures back to Britain in 1801 and sold it to the British Museum in 1816. These sculptures have been in the public view ever since.
Lord Elgin, the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire brought part of the surviving sculptures back to Britain in 1801 and sold it to the British Museum in 1816. These sculptures have been in the public view ever since.
สิ่งที่น่าสนใจ
Cloisonné jars
Head down to level 1 (Room 33) for some marvelous porcelain pieces that once resided in the Chinese imperial courts. The Chinese having mastered the cloisonné enamel in the 15th century adorned the jars, pots and vases with auspicious objects and figurines. The many pieces on display include motifs of dragons, kirins and lotuses.
CRYSTAL SKULL
แหล่งอ้างอิง1
http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=124664&partId=1&searchText=Mummy+of+Katebet&page=1
แหล่งอ้างอิง2
http://www.singaporeaninlondon.com/2012/01/british-museum-top-ten-best-exhibits.html
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