History of the British Museum

The eighteenth century: origins of the British Museum

The origins of the British Museum lie in the will of the physician, naturalist and collector, Sir Hans Sloane (1660–1753).

Over his lifetime, Sloane collected more than 71,000 objects which he wanted to be preserved intact after his death. So he bequeathed the whole collection to King George II for the nation in return for a payment of £20,000 to his heirs.

The gift was accepted and on 7 June 1753, an Act of Parliament established the British Museum.

The founding collections largely consisted of books, manuscripts and natural specimens with some antiquities (including coins and medals, prints and drawings) and ethnographic material. In 1757 King George II donated the 'Old Royal Library' of the sovereigns of England and with it the privilege of copyright receipt.

The British Museum opened to the public on 15 January 1759 . It was first housed in a seventeenth-century mansion, Montagu House, in Bloomsbury on the site of today's building. Entry was free and given to ‘all studious and curious Persons’.

With the exception of two World Wars, the Museum has remained open ever since, gradually increasing its opening hours and moving from an attendance of 5,000 per year to today's 6 million.

The twenty-first century: the Museum's recent history

During the beginning of the twenty-first century, the Museum has continued to expand its public facilities with the opening of four new permanent galleries in 2008/9:

• -Chinese ceramics
• -Clocks and watches
• -Europe AD 1050–1540
• -The Tomb-chapel of Nebamun: Ancient Egyptian life and death 

The Museum is now looking forward to its next major building project, the World Conservation and Exhibitions Centre, which will include a new temporary exhibition space. 

In 2009, the Museum was awarded the Carbon Trust Standard for its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint

World-famous objects such as the Rosetta Stone, Parthenon sculptures, and Egyptian mummies are visited by up to 6 million visitors per year. In addition to the vast permanent collection, the Museum’s special exhibitions, displays and events are all designed to advance understanding of the collection and cultures they represent.