IT normally requires a passport and a 3,000-mile round journey by plane to see the incredible mosaics, frescoes, furniture and people of Pompeii and Herculaneum, perfectly preserved since Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD.

But all it takes at the moment is a two-hour journey down to London in the comfort of an East Coast train and then a 15-minute walk from Kings Cross to the British Museum in Bloomsbury.

I travelled to London recently with my wife to see the museum’s latest exhibition, Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum, which features more than 250 fascinating objects, some of which have never left Italy before. I have not yet been to Pompeii but this exhibition in the museum’s Reading Room is undoubtedly the next best thing.

It gives a remarkable insight into the daily lives of ordinary Romans – not only the emperors and legionaries, but also the businessmen and women, freed slaves and children – before the two cities in the Bay of Naples were buried in only 24 hours by the volcano.

There are six pieces of wooden furniture on display, including a stool, linen chest and, most poignantly, a baby’s crib that can still rock on its curved runners. There are marble reliefs and carved ivory panels, and beautiful wall paintings. One shows a baker and his wife holding writing materials, indicating they are both literate, cultured and equal partners.

The horrific impact of the volcano on the residents is revealed in casts of a family of two parents and their two children, who died as they huddled helplessly together under the stairs of their villa. Another cast is of a dog that also came to an agonising end.

I would heartily recommend a trip to this exhibition. But I should get on with buying your tickets as soon as possible, because it’s already booked up for weeks in advance.

It was also crowded and busy on the day of our visit, and so it was a relief for us to be able to have a tranquil refuge from the crowds only a two-minute walk from the museum’s front door.

We had been invited to stay for a night at the Montague on the Garden, a four-star hotel situated just across the road from the museum. Part of the Red Carnation group of luxury hotels, it is situated in a Grade-II listed building constructed in the early 1800s that became a hotel in the 20th century.

Now it’s the ultimate in good customer service. On our arrival before the normal check-in time, we were invited to sit in the lounge and enjoy a cup of afternoon tea until the room was ready, and even given a timer to ensure it brewed for exactly the right time. We were then shown to a Deluxe King Room, featuring a king-size bed and sitting area with soft furnishings and flat-screen TV, with a window overlooking private gardens at the rear of the hotel.

After a good English breakfast, we had time before our return to York to visit another museum in the area, far less famous than the British Museum but interesting nonetheless.

The Foundling Museum is situated in Brunswick Square, a five-minute walk from our hotel and the British Museum, and it tells the story of the Foundling Hospital, Britain’s first home for abandoned children.

The hospital provided a safe place for abandoned children in the 18th century, and a current exhibition, Fate, Hope & Charity, brings to light the untold stories of the Foundling Hospital tokens, small everyday objects which were left by mothers with their babies at the hospital. There is also a significant collection of 18th-century art.

Fact file

Life and death in Pompeii and Herculaneum runs at the British Museum until September 29. Opening hours are 10am-5.30pm, Saturday to Thursday and 10am-8.30pm on Fridays. Tickets costing £15 with a range of concessions can be booked online at britishmuseum.org or by calling 0207 323 8181.

The Montague on the Gardens is a member of Red Carnation Hotels, a private collection of four and five-star boutique hotels. For more information and to book, please go to montaguehotel.com or call 020 7637 1001.

The Foundling Museum at 40 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AZ is open from 10am-5pm, Tuesday to Saturday, 11am-5pm on Sundays. Admission - adults: £7.50; concession: £5. Further information: call 020 7841 3600 or go to foundlingmuseum.org.uk

East Coast standard advance returns from York to London, booked online at eastcoast.co.uk start from £26. Times and fares also available on 08457 225225 or from staffed stations and rail travel agents.