Company History
The British Museum Company Limited was founded in 1973 by the Trustees of The British Museum to advance the educational aims of the Museum.
The Company currently engages in a number of activities, including wholesale and retail, publishing, the production of replicas and other merchandise, and licencing.

Retailing
The Museum has expanded its retailing division over the last few years, with the opening of the Great Court at the centre of the Museum offering further opportunities for trading. Click here for information on our stores.


Publishing
The British Museum has a long history of publishing, dating back to the mid 18th century, with the first recorded publication of catalogues to the early collections in 1749.
The British Museum Press was founded in 1973 and is the world's leading museum publisher. Around 60 books are published each year in the broad subjects of history, archaeology, ethnography, fine and decorative arts and numismatics for scholars, children and the layman. In addition to this website, The British Museum Press books are available from our shops, by mail order and from all good bookshops around the world.

Merchandise
For a number of years the Company has been producing replicas and gifts based on objects in the collections of the Museum. Often directly moulded from the originals, our replicas are the closest that you can get to owning actual historical pieces. In addition, we produce a wide range of stationery, jewellery and accessories, decorative ornaments and other gifts inspired by objects and motifs within the collections.
This merchandise is sold in the Museum stores, via our mail order gift catalogue and this website. We also sell direct to trade worldwide through our Trade Sales Department - if you are a business client and would like to know more please email sales@britishmuseum.co.uk