Begin your journey by skipping the line and entering the British Museum. Meet your guide and set off on a 1:30 hour tour that takes you into the darker side of human civilization.
Long before modern science, humanity lived in a world haunted by gods, demons, spirits and the dead.
People carved protective monsters into their walls. They buried spells with their dead. They cursed their enemies. They sacrificed human beings to their gods. They sought visions, summoned supernatural powers and performed rituals designed to control forces they could not see.
Enter a world where gods ruled the heavens, demons haunted the earth, the dead could return, and magic was used to influence the forces of the universe.
Learn how ancient magical practices actually worked. Examine the words, symbols, objects, and rituals used to cast spells, create curses, protect against demons, appeal to the gods, and communicate with the dead.
On this dark and immersive tour of the British Museum, you will enter that world.
Led by an expert guide, you will explore some of the museum’s most extraordinary objects through the lens of ancient magic, death, sacrifice and the supernatural.
Enter the terrifying religious world of the Aztec Empire. Discover why the Aztecs sacrificed human beings, what happened during the rituals, and why they believed that the survival of the universe itself depended upon sacrifice.
Meet the supernatural beings of ancient Mesopotamia and discover the rituals used to protect homes, kings, and ordinary people from evil forces. See the terrifying creatures created to guard ancient people and learn how ancient magical practitioners attempted to drive demons back into the darkness.
Explore mummies, coffins, funerary objects, and the extraordinary magical traditions surrounding the Egyptian afterlife. Discover the spells intended to protect the dead, defeat supernatural dangers, and guide the soul through the underworld.
Journey into a Britain of warriors, burial mounds, and forgotten beliefs. Explore the fascinating transition between pagan traditions and Christianity and discover what archaeology can reveal about a world where magic, mythology, and everyday life were deeply intertwined.
Enter the mythological world of Zeus, Athena, Apollo, Hades, and Heracles. Meet heroes who fought monsters, gods who demanded worship, and mortals who dared to challenge the supernatural. Discover the darker side of Greek mythology — stories of vengeance, transformation, death, madness, and divine punishment.
Free digital booklet
Receive a digital booklet with additional information about the civilisations, gods, rituals and magical practices explored during the experience.
Continue the conversation
Have questions after the tour? You’re welcome to contact your expert guide afterwards and continue exploring the subjects you’ve discovered.
