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Where to see Greek myth in UK museums

You can see real ancient Greek art in Britain, much of it showing the gods and heroes from these pages. Check each museum's website for what is currently on display.

Last updated 2 November 2026

British Museum, London

The British Museum holds one of the world's largest collections of Greek antiquities, including sculptures from the Parthenon in Athens. These show gods and mythic scenes, such as the birth of Athena and the contest of Athena and Poseidon, as well as the battle of Lapiths and centaurs. The museum also has an extensive collection of Greek painted pottery, where you can find the heroes at work: Heracles with his club, Theseus and the Minotaur, Odysseus and his crew. General admission has been free, but check the museum's website for opening times, booking and any charge for special exhibitions. Items in storage may not be on display, so look at the online collection first.

Other museums with Greek art

Several other UK museums have Greek or classical collections or art on mythical subjects. Examples to look up are the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, the Hunterian in Glasgow, World Museum in Liverpool, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Gallery in London. We have not checked what each currently displays, so use each museum's online collection and visitor pages, and ask staff, before you travel. Displays change and some items are in storage.

What to look for

1. Black-figure and red-figure vases: two painting styles on Greek pottery. Figures are drawn in black on a red clay background, or the reverse. Look for named heroes.
2. Temple sculpture: gods and mythic battles carved in marble.
3. Coins: many city coins show gods like Athena, Zeus and Apollo, or symbols like the owl.
4. Statues and reliefs: often Roman copies of Greek originals.

A note on the Parthenon sculptures

The sculptures in the British Museum have been the subject of a long-running debate over whether they should be returned to Greece. We do not take a side here; the museum and the Greek authorities publish their own positions.

Planning a visit

• Check opening times and any ticket requirements on the museum's website before you travel.
• Look up pieces in the online collection and make a short list.
• Read the relevant myth first. Our myth summaries and the pages on the Olympians and heroes help you recognise the scenes.
• Bring children? Many museums run family trails; ask at the desk or check the site.

Outside museums

Greek myth also appears in British buildings, from classical statues in country house gardens to the names of ships and streets. Look for Greek revival architecture, which borrows the forms of Greek temples.

Reading before you go

Museum labels are brief. A little background makes the objects come alive: recognise Athena by her helmet and owl, Zeus by his thunderbolt, Poseidon by his trident, and Heracles by his lion skin and club. Many museums publish object notes online, and the British Museum's collection database lets you search by subject. Look at the pages on the gods and heroes before you set off.

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