The British Museum was part of this trip that sparked the most excitement and trepidation. In the Dickens Museum post, I mentioned that context makes the experience in my view. The British Museum has nearly everything but.
So, to make the visit more fun and less overwhelming, I decided imagine Rick Steves was my guide via the “highlights” tour outlined in his London 2008 travel guide. Actually … I started with something that wasn’t in the official tour, but was mentioned in its postscript: the Bog Man.
What’s the appeal of a man who lived thousands of years ago and died a torturous death? It was probably the captivating National Geographic special that premiered years ago featuring him. That’s my story, anyway. Nonetheless, several thousand (at least!) courtyard steps and four rooms of unnoticed Egyptian artifacts led to the home of the Boggyman. Another five minutes of searching finally led to his glass case. He wasn’t there: on loan to another museum in England. Strangely disappointing. I left.
Hunger had set in anyway and most of the museum was set to close in another two hours anyway. There’s always tomorrow …
Overheard ...