THE BRITISH MUSEUM

                             Introduction to a Fabulous Museum

            On one visit to the British Museum we arrived on a Sunday a few minutes after opening. The first order of business was lunch in their restaurant. It was delicious and reasonable. The guidebook was right stating this was the place in London to have lunch.

            The British Museum, built in 1753, is the largest classical building in England and houses 90 galleries with 2 ½ miles of exhibits. It is the world’s oldest museum and displays an extraordinary collection of artifacts representing every aspect of international cultural history. Some of the most notable displays include the Elgin Marbles, Lindow Man, Rosetta Stone, and Egyptian Mummies.

            Sir Hans Sloane, a physician and collector, born in 1660, devoted his life to scientific enquiry. At his death in 1753 his collection numbered over 79,000 objects.  He wanted his things to be given to the government for all of mankind. A lottery was held to raise money to establish a museum. Montagu House, a 17^th century mansion, was purchased for that purpose and the British Museum opened to the public in January 1759 for ‘studious and curious persons’.

            The museum has never charged admission. The new museum collected enthusiastically and many items were donated including numerous items Captain Cook had collected on his voyages.

            The Rosetta Stone, acquired after Napoleon’s defeat in Egypt, is one of the museum’s greatest treasures. Dating back to 196 BC, this stone was found in a wall of a building about to be demolished in a place called Rosetta. A young army lieutenant realized it was important and saved it. It provided the key to deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.

            In 1816 the museum acquired the Elgin marbles. In 1799 Lord Elgin was appointed Ambassador to Constantinople. Concerned about the destruction of classical Greek ruins he assembled a team of artists to record what survived and later obtained permission to remove carved stone sculptures from the Parthenon in Athens, Greece.  The sculptures arrived in London in 1802 where Elgin displayed them to the public.  Fourteen years later, in financial difficulties, he sold the marbles to the government who placed them in the museum.

            There is soooo much that can be said about the British Museum that this is just an introduction. It is huge and one can spend a very long time there. If possible it’s wise to take it in small doses over several visits. There is just so much to see, and don’t over look the fabulous book store. No matter what, it should be at the top of everyone’s to do list when visiting London.

            The British Museum is one of 300 museums in London, and one can’t visit them all, but the British Museum is a must see.