See also: BM

The British Museum , with London (the United Kingdom), is one of most important and one of the oldest museums in the world. Its installation goes up with 1753 and was made possible thanks to the doctor Sir Hans Sloane who bequeathed all his collection to the English nation. This heritage was enriched later by several large collections by books and manuscripts. The museum opened its doors with the public for the first time on January 15th 1759. Its structure since evolved/moved much and its collections they also changed in particular by the transfer of certain parts to other museums (mainly the Muséum of natural history to South Kensington). In 2003 it shelters more than 6 million objects since the paddle of times until our days. Unfortunately the majority of these collections are stored with the basement for lack of place.

The Queen Elizabeth II Great Court is a covered square court, in the center of the museum. It was conceived by the architects Foster and Partners.

The entry of British Museum was always free, except one period of a few months in 1972.

It is only in 1963 that the part devoted to the Natural history becomes autonomous under the name of Natural History Museum (or Muséum of natural history of London).

The most known works

• the Pierre de Rosette
• the plank S of the Parthenon
• the bust of Périclès

Simple: The British Museum Zh-classical: 大英博物館