British Museum

One of the glories of living in London is being able to pop into the British Museum. So, faced with loads of admin to do today, I decided to put it all off and make use of my membership. Saw the Book of the Dead exhibition, partly because having just come back from Egypt I thought I ought to Bit of a cheat in a way as most of the exhibits are from the BM collection anyway, so they are getting non-members to shell out £12 for what you could see in a different arrangement for free..

What is so staggering is the sheer breadth of the BM collection. I go all round the world but the best stuff is really just down the Piccadilly Line. Although having said that, I do feel we could have been even more efficient in the 19th and early 20th centuries in looting (sorry acquiring) antiquities from around the globe when we had the chance. Seen quite a few statues round the Middle-East that would have fitted in here very nicely. And any suggestion that we hand back the Elgin marbles should be met with armed resistance. If they won't give us a world cup, don't see why they should get our marbles. And they are ours. After all, Elgin is a British name isn't it? Someone will want the Portland Vase next. And new acquisition? - A Zimbabwean 100 trillion dollar note. Amusing, but hardly the Elgin Marbles.

And architecturally, the Great Hall takes some beating, a truly excellent marriage of old and new. See what you think.