ISBN: 0714127647 9780714127644

Category: Art / Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions / General

Page count: 416

`This is the story of the British Museum, the oldest and greatest publicly funded museum in the world'. In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the museum in 2003, this book documents the enormous changes that have taken place to the building, its collection, its staff, and its role in society. Essentially a chronological history from the founding of the first collection upon the death of Sir Hans Sloane in 1753, through to the present day, David Wilson presents a detailed discussion of the setting up of the museum, its opening to the public, its educational and research functions and the collections that it houses from around the world. Discussing the benefactors, collectors, excavators, curators, the museum staff and administration, the public who visit the museum and the relationship between the museum and the government and other financial institutions, he shows how the British Museum remains the most respected and internationally recognised museum of its kind.