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Without a doubt, London has some of the world's best museums. In fact, you easily could spend months in London — perhaps even a lifetime — and never truly have enough time to fully absorb all of the museums that the city hosts.

The British Museum

If you're only visiting London for a few days — and your schedule limits you to one museum — the British Museum is the one to see. Founded in 1753, the British Museum was the "first national public museum in the world" and always has been free to visit for all "studious and curious persons." However, if you would find a paid tour guide helpful, there is an affordable and well-reviewed guided tour of the British Museum that is available to book in advance.

The collection of artefacts largely pilfered from around the world during Britain's colonial empire is incredible. Although, no doubt, many people from these regions of the world where Britain helped itself may have mixed feelings, but at least these cultural antiquities have been kept safe — and largely treated with respect — when they otherwise might have been destroyed during any number of wars, uprisings, or cultural revolutions.

With rare exception, the British Museum is open seven days a week, but it closes at 5:20 PM every day except Friday, when it is open until 8:20 PM. Make sure to take a look at the current schedule to avoid potential disappointment as well as to learn about special events and exhibits.

Stroll Bloomsbury's Parks

Although the main draw for tourists to the area is the British Museum, its host neighbourhood of Bloomsbury is well worth attention, too. Rather than just heading back to the Underground (or tour bus) like so many other tourists after visiting the British Museum, travelgasm.com would instead recommend walking through the neighbourhood if the weather is cooperative.

Bloomsbury is a nice area, but unlike Belgravia, Notting Hill, and many other posh neighbourhoods in central London where the small pocket parks are under lock and key and reserved only for local residents, Bloomsbury tends to be kind and owners share their green spaces with the public. Thanks to the diligence of the Association of Bloomsbury Squares and Gardens, Russell Square, Gordon Square Gardens, and Tavistock Square Gardens, for example, are clean and safe and a great place for a visitor to enjoy a take-away lunch on a sunny day.

Well regarded, and affordable, take-away joints a few blocks away from the British Museum — and it always is a good idea to eat a few blocks away from a major tourist attraction for better food at lower prices — include Vantra for vegan and Roti King for Malaysian. If you want something more traditional, Ray's Pizza and Diner in Bloomsbury Bowling, serves highly regarded pizzas for takeaway or to eat in, as well as a full bar and a bowling alley that is an homage to 1960s Americana.

On Thursdays, between 9 AM-2 PM, rain or shine, you can find a wide variety of prepared global foods for takeaway as well as fresh produce at a Farmers' Market on Torrington Square on the University of London campus. Additionally, there are no shortage of sit down restaurants in the neighbourhood ranging from affordable student food to upscale options.

We've mapped out our favourite walk from the British Museum through Bloomsbury. It takes you through a couple of the neighbourhood parks, through the University of London campus, and stops by Woburn Walk, too. Completed in 1822, Woburn Walk is a cute people-only street flanked by its original Victorian era buildings and looks like it could have been plucked from a Sherlock Holmes novel. It's not quite major enough by itself to consider it one of our "7 Things Tourists Don't Do in London, but You Should," but tourists really should pay more attention to it than they do.

How to Get Here: There are four Underground stations each within a short walk of the British Museum — Tottenham Court Road, Holborn, Goodge Street and Russell Square. You can take the Central (Red) line to Tottenham Court Road or Holborn, the Northern (Black) line to Tottenham Court Road or Goodge Street, or the Piccadilly (Dark Blue) line to Holborn or Russell Square. Tottenham Court Road is the most commonly used by tourists, but we like the walk from Russell Square (and the back entrance to the British Museum) the most. Our suggested walk has you departing via Euston on the Northern (Black) or Victoria (Royal Blue) lines.

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