If you have just left the British Museum, start with the streets around you. For 10–30 minutes, choose a short Cobble story or Russell Square. For an hour, add one smaller museum. For a longer afternoon, continue to Gordon Square.
A quick choice
| Time available | A useful next stop | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 5–10 minutes | Look at the museum’s portico and hear one Cobble Scene. | Three starter Scenes free; £1.99 Day Pass thereafter. |
| 20–30 minutes | Two short stories near your exit or a pause in Russell Square. | Free outdoors; audio access as above. |
| About an hour | Choose the Petrie or Grant Museum if its opening hours fit. | Free general admission. |
| 90 minutes or more | Gordon Square and selected Cobble stories, with time to sit and talk. | Free square; audio access as above. |
Hear a story while you look
Cobble offers short, location-based recordings, with credited historians, writers and performers. You can choose a single Scene without committing to a complete walking tour. Headphones let you pause, look around and keep your own pace.
- At the Great Russell Street front: The Museum’s Portico Frieze ↗ is listed as a three-minute listen. Choose a safe public viewing point for the sculpture above the entrance.
- Along Great Russell Street: Built By The People ↗ takes you to Congress House. Combine it with the portico story using our half-hour plan.
- From Montague Place: head towards Malet Street for Towering Senate House ↗, a two-minute introduction to the building. Listen outdoors; library admission is not needed.
Try three Scenes free. The £1.99 CobbleGo Day Pass then includes on-location Scenes and Collections for 24 hours. Full listening is in the app. The longer guided Walks are separate purchases. See current access and prices ↗.
Meeting someone at Russell Square?
From Great Russell Street, go east to Montague Street, then north towards Russell Square. Allow roughly 5–10 minutes for the walk, more for crossings or a slower pace. If your meeting is soon, stay with the square. The Petrie and Gordon Square are detours and need more time.
Explore Russell Square and its stories →
Another museum, or a bookshop?
The Petrie Museum on Malet Place and the Grant Museum on University Street are free and normally open Tuesday–Saturday, 13:00–17:00. Pick one rather than squeezing both into an hour. Allow for the approach and check exceptional closures before setting off.
For books, use Museum Street and the neighbouring streets as your starting point. Our bookshop guide covers browsing and separately booked talks. A shop being open does not mean an event has spaces.
Want a complete audio walk?
Cobble’s Love, Lies & Literature is listed at 68 minutes and Scandals of Russell Square at 76 minutes. Each costs £4.99. Allow extra time to reach the start and pause along the way. Compare the routes and alternatives.
Sources & checks
Updated 24 September 2026. Museum hours and Cobble access were rechecked. Walking times are estimates, not measured routes. Discover Bloomsbury is published by Cobble Media.