Pair Of K6 Telephone Kiosks Next To The Western Stone Pier On Front Boundary Railings

A pair of K6 telephone kiosks stand between the western stone pier and the main entrance gate along the front boundary railings before the courtyard and front facade of the British Museum, a Grade I listed building. The kiosks are constructed of cast iron and glass, painted red with long horizontal glazing in the door and sides, and feature applied crowns on the top panels. Rectangular white display signs reading "TELEPHONE" are affixed beneath the shallow-curved roof. The internal equipment has been modernized.

The K6 telephone kiosk, designed by Giles Gilbert Scott in 1935 to commemorate King George V's Silver Jubilee, is a significant example of 20th-century industrial design. It evolved from Scott's earlier K2 kiosk, which was inspired by Neo-classical architecture. The K6 was more streamlined, compact, and cost-effective to produce. Over 70,000 were eventually made, with many replaced in the 1960s.

The kiosks are designated at Grade II for their special design interest as a major landmark of industrial design and for their group value in relation to the nearby Grade I British Museum and other listed buildings, including the Grade II listed Museum Tavern public house on the opposite side of the street.