I just came back from my second visit to the British Museum and I still cannot say that I have seen 50% of the museum precious collection. For annoying, slow paced museum visitors like me, there is no possibility of spending a whole day at the museum and see/enjoy every single object. First, after a good three hours of fully absorbing art I get tired, hungry and cranky. I need to take a break. I hate passing by rooms without really seeing, something that many times I have done because it is time to go home or to do something else.

There is not really a lot that you can see at a museum if you want to visit a city in a week,  to appreciate the arts  and also to spend time outside walking around to get to know the present city and have a real experience. Especially in an European city, where a museum can hold the best Egipcian collection or the best paintings of a particular artist. Like I wrote the other day, I LOVE the fact that museums in London are free. I could not have afforded paying 20 pounds twice or thrice to go to the British Museum and spend two hours seeing the Asirian collection.

One of my friends from Havana went to Barcelona two years ago and confessed that he spent a lot of food money to go to every museum in the city. Since he wanted to continue going he started to show up a half an hour before closing time, when the museums are free. He is an artist and Spain was the first country he ever had the opportunity to visit.  In the end, the money that you spend for knowledge and culture is always a good investment but when you really like art and have other necessities it can get way too pricey.

I wonder if local parents take their kids to the museum more. I know in Havana we were exposed to ballet and concerts way more than Canadian children because of the cheap price of the tickets.

I will definitelly try to come back to the British Museum before the end of the week. Also, at the museum cafeteria I met a very nice British lady today who recommended me to visit Victoria and Albert Museum, Science Museum and the Natural History Museum, all three around the same área and with an underground passage. Wow. London really has entertainment indoors for those rainy days.