FAQs
We can currently only accept email enquiries at customerservices@britishmuseum.org.
Please note, the email address is monitored Monday–Friday 9am-5pm UK time. Emails sent outside this time will be responded to during the following working day.
Delivery
For full delivery information including prices please see our Delivery page
How much do you charge for delivery?
Delivery charges are calculated based on the volumetric weight and destination of your order. The total will be displayed on the final page before payment is entered.
Standard delivery is free for all UK orders over £100, excluding custom art prints. Please see separate delivery pricing structure for custom art prints on our Delivery page.
A premium delivery option is available for UK orders only.
Why can’t I order custom art prints with premium delivery?
All custom art prints are made to order and dispatched by a partner firm therefore have a longer delivery schedule. Further information can be found on the Delivery page.
Do I have to pay customs charges?
Our postal charges for most destinations outside the UK include all customs and duties charges and VAT.
On occasion customs charges beyond our control will be charged to the customer. In this case, please contact Customer Services at customerservices@britishmuseum.org with evidence of the charge and the payment will be reimbursed to you.
Unfortunately for the below countries and territories the customer will be responsible for paying customs and duties charges:
Europe:
Andorra, Azores, Corsica, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, Madeira, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Spain-Balearic Islands, Switzerland, Turkey, Vatican City State, Spain-Canary Islands
Rest of world:
Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, British Virgin Islands, People’s Republic of the Congo, Dominica, East Timor, Guyana, Iraq, Kosovo, Mongolia, Norfolk Island, Spitzbergen, St Christopher and Nevis, Tonga, Uzbekistan, Israel
Please note, if you contact us on receipt of your goods to these countries, we will refund the customs charges.
Placing an order
Do I have to register my details with you?
No, you can checkout as a guest.
The benefits of creating an account include visibility of your order history as well as streamlining the checkout process for future purchases.
If you check out as a guest, the system will not remember your details and you will have to input them each time you place an order.
How do I know that you have received my order?
Once your order is submitted you will receive an automated email confirming your order details, including products ordered, total cost and a unique order number.
You will receive a second email once your order has been processed and dispatched.
If you cannot see the emails, please check your junk folder. If you do not receive the confirmation email, please contact customerservices@britishmuseum.org who will be able to confirm your order status during the working hours Monday-Friday 9am-5pm UK time.
Payment
What forms of payment can I use?
We accept payment by most debit and credit cards, including Visa and MasterCard. We also accept payments via PayPal. Please contact us at customerservices@britishmuseum.org if you experience issues with payment.
We are in the process of enabling payments via American Express, however this option is currently not available.
What information do I need to supply?
In order for your card issuer to perform verification checks, it is necessary at the billing address stage for you to enter the address where the payment card is registered, including the house number and post code (zip code).
Please enter telephone numbers as one long number with no non-numeric characters. If you enter a mobile number, it will be securely transmitted to the shipper to provide you with text updates regarding your delivery.
May I send an order to another person as a gift?
Yes. When entering the address at the checkout stage, you will enter the delivery name and address on the first page. The second page will include a tick-box asking if the shipping and billing addresses are different. If the cardholder billing address is different, enter it on this page.
Please note, for goods delivered outside of the UK, we must include an invoice with the customs packet which will include information about the contents and price of the delivery.
Unfortunately we are unable to offer a gift wrapping or gift messaging service at this time.
May I change or cancel my online order?
Any issues or changes relating to your order should be communicated to customerservices@britishmuseum.org as soon as possible. Orders placed during the week tend to be processed on the day or early the following day, after which point it will not be possible to change the order.
How do I apply my Membership Discount?
British Museum Members are entitled to 10% on all purchases on books and merchandise in the online shop, not including the delivery charge. On the Basket Summary page, there is a button titled “Validate Membership” – click this button and enter your Membership number, and your discount will be applied to the basket total.
Please note, only one discount code can be used at a time, so Member’s discounts will not be applied when other codes are in use.
Is it safe to use my credit/debit card online?
The secure server software used by the British Museum encrypts all your personal information, including credit card details, name, and address. Please look for a padlock icon at the start of the URL address, as this guarantees the site is secure.
How do I apply a promo code?
Enter the code in the Summary section of the Shopping Cart page and click ‘Apply’. The discount will be deducted from your order total. Please note, promo code discounts do not apply to delivery costs unless specified.
Can I use two promo codes for the same order?
Only one discount code can be applied per order; this also applies to Membership discount. Please do not try to enter two discount codes for the same order.
Order issues/Refunds
What is your refund policy?
If for any reason you are unhappy with your purchase, you are able to request a refund by contacting our Customer Services team at customerservices@britishmuseum.org within 14 days of the order being delivered. Our team will give you individual advice on returning your item(s) and claiming your refund.
Please note the following exemptions which cannot be refunded except in the case of a product fault:
- Custom art prints
- Made to order replicas
- Pierced earrings
Can I refund an online order at one of the British Museum Shops?
Please contact customerservices@britishmuseum.org for further advice regarding in-store refunds of online orders.
What do I do if items in my delivery are broken or incorrect?
Please note: The British Museum replicas and prints have been carefully designed to replicate the original objects, and will usually reflect any historic damage or ageing that has occurred on the original. Every effort is made to be as accurate as possible in our descriptions, specifications and images, however this may change due to circumstances beyond our control.
We do everything we can to ensure your order will arrive with you correctly and in good condition, however if there is an issue with the goods that arrive, ie. damaged or incorrect items, we will offer to refund or replace the products if we are at fault.
In the event that we ask you to return faulty items, we will reimburse the cost of ordinary postage.
Any claim for shortages/defects of the goods delivered must be made within 14 days of delivery stating your order number and the nature of the shortages/defects. If you fail to notify us in this time, you will be deemed to have accepted the goods.
Please contact Customer Services at customerservices@britishmuseum.org with the following details:
- Your order number
- Ideally contact us from the email used to place the order, or quote the email address in your correspondence
- It is helpful to include a photo which demonstrates the issue
Please note, the Customer Services email address is monitored Monday-Friday 9am-5pm UK time, and any emails sent outside of this time will be responded to during the following working day.
Other technical questions and issues
How can I keep up to date with the British Museum Shop products and offers?
You can sign up to our weekly email newsletter which includes information about new products and seasonal offers.
Do you keep my details private?
Yes. We adhere to The General Data Protection Regulations of 2018. You can view the British Museum’s privacy policy at https://www.britishmuseum.org/privacy-policy
What is the British Museum’s cookie policy?
Please refer to the British Museum’s cookie policy which also applies to the British Museum Shop: https://www.britishmuseum.org/cookies
How can I find out more about the product?
On the product’s web page, you will find two tabs: the tab titled “Product Information” contains additional practical data about size, weight, and material.
The product I want is assorted, can I choose a specific colour/style?
Orders for assorted products are always chosen at random. Images of assorted products are for guidance only, and unfortunately we cannot fulfil requests for specific styles or colours.
The item I want is out of stock. Is it possible to buy it in the Museum?
The goods sent from our online shop are drawn from the same source as the on-site shops, therefore if an item is out of stock online, it won’t be available in store.
Many of our lines are part of our core ranges, and are likely to be available again in the future. Products from exhibition ranges that are sold out, especially towards the end of the exhibition, are unfortunately unlikely to come back in stock.
A limited number of products are not available online, and are only available to buy in the Museum shops. If you have a specific request, you can email customerservices@britishmuseum.org who will try and help you if possible.
Due to customs-related issues, a small number of products are not available to purchase online.