On October 25, 2024, Ben Melham (42), a British man, etched his name in the Guinness World Records book by visiting 42 museums in London in just 10 hours and 55 minutes. This achievement not only broke the previous record, but also proved that the spirit of exploration and love of history can transcend time. How did he plan and carry out this mission? Check out his inspiring story!
Inspiration from Children's Books and Challenges
Ben Melham, a museum operations consultant, was inspired to pursue the record after reading the Guinness World Records book with his two children, Matilde and Henrik. When discussing how difficult it would be to break a world record, the children challenged him: "You have to turn your words into actions!" .
Ben immediately responded to the challenge. He chose London as the location for the challenge because the city has more than 200 museums, ranging from global icons like the British Museum to small museums like Sir John Soane's Museum . "London is the right choice. Each museum here holds a unique story, from human history to natural wonders," he said.
Museum Marathon Route, 42 Museums in One Tour

Ben began his journey at 9:03 a.m. at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Museum in East London. Using an electric scooter, he zipped from one museum to another, collecting proof of his visit such as a ticket or a photo of himself in front of the building.
In 12 hours, he managed to visit 42 museums, including:
- Natural History Museum – home to an impressive giant blue whale replica.
- Tower of London – the historic fortress that holds the royal crown.
- British Museum – a museum with the most comprehensive collection of global artifacts.
- Sir John Soane's Museum – a small museum with unique architecture.
Ben finished his journey in 19:58 at the Royal Academy of Arts , having covered the equivalent of a marathon (42km) . "I only had 5-10 minutes per museum. It was like a relay race!" he said .
Beating Previous Records and Thorough Preparation

Ben's record beats that of India's Sujoy Kumar Mitra and Swaroop Dawrani, who visited 33 museums in a day in early 2024. To ensure success, Ben planned the route in detail:
- Map museums with the nearest operating hours.
- Calculate travel time between locations to avoid traffic jams.
- Bring documentation equipment, including a cell phone and camera.
"The biggest challenge is not being able to stay long in each museum. In fact, I want to enjoy every collection," said Ben, who often spends hours in museums on weekdays.
Museums, Windows to the Past and Future
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