where is it kept in the british musuem?on their website i found the egypt hall beside the great court.is it there?is it usually crowded?

also is the beefeater tour at the tower of london included in the admission price or are you expected to pay the guard as well?how does one join a 'tour' there?

thanks

1. Yes it really there. It is in a glass enclosure. There are a lot of people walking around it but its not a mob scene (atleast it wasn't during my visit in late march 2004).
2. You don't have to pay anything extra, though some people do tip the guide when its done.
When you enter, you see a gift shop on your right and a smallish courtyard on your left. Groups gather in this courtyard and the guide just starts the tour at the appointed time. It's very informal and I think there's a tour every 30-60 minutes.

If you enter the Egypt section on the main floor from the center court, turn to your left. Here is what it looked like 2 years ago http://www.mightymac.org/gb058.JPG

The beefeater tour is included, but I gave a tip. I did a similar job in college and appreciated the fine job by the beefeater that lead my tour. They start from a point near the enterance.

Keith

You don't need a guide to see the Rosetta Stone. It is to your left once you enter the big hall in the center.
Just ask at the information desk.

The stone itself is well explained.
I did not think the stone was difficult to view. It certainly does not attract the same mobs as Venus or Mona in the Lourvre.

the Beefeater tour is free - but it ends up with a visit inside the chapel (not accessible except w/ the tour). You have a sit-down while the Beefeater finishes up his narrative and then he stands next to the door to wish you all farewell.

It is good form to have a pound coin ready to tip him -- but less than 1/2 the people do and you can choose to or not . . . . . .

Chevy, if they haven't changed the locataion of the Rosetta Stone since I last visited two weeks ago, it will be right across the entrance at the Entrance to the Egyptian collection. We couldn't find it, hidden by schoolkids, so we asked.

It's easy to find the stone - harder to see it behind the mobs of schoolchildren (at least when we visited, in late May - must have been end of year field trips, every museum was swamped with the little buggers .

Regarding the Tower of L, I've taken 10 friends there in the last 10 years and I've never tipped the beefeater nor seen anyone else do so. Wow. Yikes. How did I miss that?

Obxgirl, I've been to the Tower more times than I can count - probably 30 or 40 times since the mid-70's. The Beefeaters are very discreet about it -- they are retired senior NCOs and are VERY smooth. But in the average group leaving the chapel it seems about 1/2 shake his hand, and of those many are slipping him a coin.

I had a beef with my Beefeater. He actually ASKED for tips while in the chapel. This was after explaining the process to become one (tough standards) and I doubt he makes a sub-minimum wage.