See the world’s treasures at the British Museum

Over the years, British Museum and the Tate Modern have competed to draw tourists to the UK. Even in and of itself, the expansive neoclassical edifice draws tourists. But once inside, you should check out the Enlightenment Room's exhibits, which are packed with charming English oddities and Victorian innovations from the era when England was at the forefront of the scientific Enlightenment.

Britain's most popular destination is the British Museum in Bloomsbury, which welcomes about six million people each year. You could probably spend your whole vacation exploring the enormous and revered collection of relics, antiquities, and art that it is jam-packed with (many of which, controversially, were taken from other nations), and yet not be done.

You can concentrate on particular facets of the enormous collection during the free eye-opening excursions. Alternately, take in the highlights by meandering around the Great Court, which is home to the Rosetta Stone, a key to understanding hieroglyphics, and the otherworldly mummies. The Great Court has a spectacular glass-and-steel dome that was created by Norman Foster.