The Museum Tavern looks across at the grand front entrance of the British Museum which is on Great Russell Street. The pub itself sits on the corner of Museum Street (previously Peter Street but changed when the museum opened).

The pub is spoken of fondly in Alan Reeve-Jones London Pubs which was published in 1962 which was my prompt for a visit. I wasn’t a great fan. I think the traffic was better in Alan’s day. Now Great Russell Street is jam-packed as the traffic fights it’s way westwards and the air tastes of car fumes. It would certainly have been a charming neighbourhood (and pub) in the 18th century when the museum opened but now even Bedford square looks fuggy with smog.

Nowadays the area and the pub are packed with tourists. Inside the pub feels a little faded but the staff are very friendly and efficient, food decent and the drinks adequate. There’s nothing particularly wrong with the pub except that regulars are few and far between.