In 1867 he entered the British Museum as an assistant in the department of Greek and Roman antiquities under Sir Charles Newton, whom he succeeded in 1886.

[1] In 1873 Murray published a Manual of Mythology, and in the following year contributed to the Contemporary Review two articles—one on the Homeric question—which led to a friendship with Mr Gladstone, the other on Greek painters.

In 1880-1883 he brought out his History of Greek Sculpture: From the Earliest Times Down to the Age of Pheidias, which at once became a standard work.

[1] In 1894-1896 Murray directed excavations in Cyprus including those at Enkomi; they were undertaken by means of a bequest of £2000 from Miss Emma Tournour Turner.

In 1898 he wrote for the Portfolio a monograph on Greek bronzes, founded on lectures delivered at the Royal Academy in that year, and he contributed many articles on archaeology to standard publications.