Epic Museum Marathon: Man Breaks World Record with 42 Museums in Just 12 Hours

A British man named Ben Melham has officially set a Guinness World Record by visiting 42 museums in under 12 hours. This remarkable feat earned him the title of “most museums visited in 24 hours.”

At 42 years old, Melham accomplished this challenge last October. He started his day bright and early at 9:03 a.m. at the Museum of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in East London. His whirlwind tour ended at the Royal Academy of Arts later that evening at 7:58 p.m.

Over the course of the day, he explored a diverse array of museums. Some were famous spots like the Natural History Museum, the Tower of London, and the British Museum. Others were smaller gems, including the Sir John Soane’s Museum, the UK’s smallest national museum.

Melham’s interest in this challenge sparked when he read a Guinness World Records book with his kids. After discussing the difficulty of breaking a record, his children, Matilde and Henrik, inspired him to take action. They encouraged him to turn their discussions into something real.

London was an obvious location for his attempt. Melham shared, “London’s museums house millions of objects. Each one connects you to different times, people, or the wonders of nature.”

Melham works in the museum sector as an operations consultant. Motivated by his recent achievements, he now aims to break the record for the most museums visited in a single year. Since October, he has already visited 85 museums and shares updates on his adventures on Instagram and Bluesky.

He believes that museums are vital spaces for storytelling. “They hold the stories and objects that define us. They invite us to reflect on our past, engage with our present, and dream about our future,” Melham remarked.

His record of visiting 42 museums blows past the previous record of 33, which was set earlier in 2024 by two men from India, Sujoy Kumar Mitra and Swaroop Dawrani.