July '25 - Museum Tavern
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After repeated (mostly failed) attempts to visit the British Museum, we decided to throw caution to the wind and just line up “on the day”, with fingers crossed, hoping to get in. No advance booking for us! Now, this might seem like a minor point, but when you’re the organizer for your family trips, this has the potential to induce a great deal of anxiety, not to mention the accompanying cursing. I’m working on it.
To provide a little context,
- Visit attempt #1 – it was so stiflingly hot in the Museum that it was difficult to breathe, and we had to leave
- Visit attempt #2 – we brought the kids with us, and it was so crammed (and hot) we made sure they saw the mummies, and we left shortly after
- Visit attempt #3 – faced with throngs of primary school kids on field trips and the ensuing noise levels (and you guessed it – the heat), we went in the back door and straight out the front door
So, with that track record behind us, “once more unto the breach”!
It was our day. The line to get in moved quickly. Not overly busy or hot, we made our way through the vast collections, and we’re really able to take our time and enjoy what is undoubtedly one of the most expansive offerings of ancient artifacts in the world.
Now, you might be asking yourself what this has got to do with the Museum Tavern, and I would suggest everything. If ever a pub was well-positioned for the overheated tourist masses looking for a place to recover, it is this one. This 300-year-old watering hole retains much of its Victorian charm despite several refurbishments over the years. It’s not overly large and will undoubtedly be filled with tourists, but there will be far fewer kids, noise levels will be comfortable, and if it happens to be hot… well, you’re in a pub.
- Doug
