vi THE present "Guide" gives "Guide" gives a concise account of the contents of the exhibition rooms in the several departments of Zoology, Minerals, Fossils, Botany, and Antiquities, in the British Museum, and is intended to supply such information as is necessary for the generality of visitors to the collections, in addition to that which is furnished by the labels attached to the various objects. A Synopsis, which is to be published hereafter, will give a fuller description of these collections, accompanied by scientific and literary notes, and illustrated by woodengravings.* J. WINTER JONES, BRITISH MUSEUM, June 22nd, 1874. Principal Librarian. In the year 1753 an Act of Parliament was passed (26 Geo. II. cap. 22), enacting that the collections formed by Sir Hans Sloane, as well as the Cottonian and Harleian collections of Manuscripts, should be vested in certain Trustees, and, together with such additions as might be made to them, placed in one general repository, to be there preserved for public use to all posterity. The Trustees were incorporated under the name of "Trustees of the BRITISH MUSEUM," with power to make such regulations as they deemed fit for the preservation and inspection of the collections, the care and custody of which were chiefly committed to the " Principal Librarian," who was to be continually aided in the execution of his duty by such officers as should be appointed for that purpose. Montague House was purchased by the Trustees in 1754 for a general repository, and the collections were removed to it under the above Act of Parliament. On the 15th of January, 1759, the British Museum was opened for the inspection and use of the public. At first the Museum was divided into three departments, viz., Printed Books, Manuscripts, and Natural History; at the head of each of them was placed an officer designated an “ Under Librarian." The increase of the collections soon rendered it necessary to provide additional accommodation for them, Montague House proving in * See the parts relating to the Egyptian Galleries, Northern Vestibule; the First and Second Egyptian Rooms, and the Græco-Roman Sculptures (price 4d. each), the First and Second Vase-Rooms (price 2d. each), the Bronze Room (3d.), and the Select Greek Coins exhibited in Electrotype in the Gold Ornament Room (3d.), already published. vii sufficient The present by George III. of Egyptian Antiquities, and the purchase of the Hamilton and Townley Antiquities, made it moreover imperative to create an additional department-that of Antiquities and Art-to which were united the Prints and Drawings, as well as the Medals and Coins, previously attached to the library of Printed Books and Manuscripts. The acquisition of the Elgin Marbles in 1816 made the Department of Antiquities of the highest importance, and increased room being indispensable for the exhibition of those marbles, a temporary shelter was prepared for them. This was the last addition to Montague House. When, in 1823, the library collected by George III. was presented to the nation by George IV. it became necessary to erect a building fit to receive this valuable and extensive collection. It was then decided to have an entirely new edifice to contain the whole of the Museum collections, including the recently-acquired library. Sir R. Smirke was accordingly directed by the Trustees to prepare plans. The eastern side of the present structure was completed in 1828, and the Royal Library was then placed in it. The northern, southern, and western sides of the building were subsequently added, and in 1845 the whole of Montague House and its additions had disappeared; while the increasing collections had rendered it necessary to make various additions to the original design of Sir R. Smirke, some of them even before it had been carried out. The most extensive addition, however, is that erected in the inner quadrangle under the superintendence of Mr. Sydney Smirke (who had some time previously succeeded his brother Sir Robert as architect to the Museum.) This new building contains the Reading Room and accommodation for the future increase of the collection of Printed Books.* In 1827 a fifth department-that of Botany-was created, in consequence of the bequest by Sir Joseph Banks of his botanical collections (besides his library of about 16,000 volumes). In 1837 the Prints and Drawings were separated from the Antiquities, and became an independent department, and at the same time the Department of Natural History was divided into two, one of Geology, including Palæontology and Mineralogy, the other of Zoology. In 1857 Mineralogy was constituted a separate department. In 1856 the office of Superintendent of the Natural History Departments was created. At the end of the year 1860, the Department of Antiquities was separated into three; and recently one of these has been subdivided into two. At present the Museum is divided into twelve departments, viz., Printed Books, Manuscripts, Oriental Antiquities, British and Mediæval Antiquities and Ethnography, Greek and Roman Antiquities, Coins and Medals, Botany, Prints and Drawings, Zoology, Palæontology, Mineralogy, and Maps, Charts, Plans and Topographical Drawings, each under the immediate care of an "Under Librarian " as keeper. The last department (that of Maps, &c.) was created in 1867. * See the description of the Reading Room and Libraries, sold in the Museum, price one penny. viii Visitors proceed to the several rooms herein described from the entrance hall, on the western side of which is the principal staircase to the upper floor. Against the wall to the south of the staircase is a statue by Westmacott of the Hon. Mrs. Seymour Damer, holding in her hands a small figure of the genius of the Thames, sculptured by herself. By the side of this statue is the doorway to the sculpture galleries. On the eastern side of the Hall are two marble statues : Shakspere by Roubilliac, and Sir Joseph Banks by Chantrey; between these is the doorway to the Grenville Library. To inspect the several collections in the order in which they are described in the present Guide, the visitor will ascend to the upper floor by the principal staircase, and enter the exhibition rooms of the Zoological Department. These rooms form part of the southern, the whole of the eastern and part of the northern sides of the upper floor. The Minerals and Fossils which are next described, are contained in the remaining part of the northern side. The Botanical exhibition is displayed in two rooms in the southern front of the building, which are entered either from the Mammalia Saloon or by a doorway on the eastern side of the central saloon in the Zoological Department. Following still the order of the Guide, the visitor will descend the principal stairs to the hall, and enter the Department of Antiquities by the doorway already mentioned, near the south-western angle. The antiquities occupy the whole of the western parts of the ground floor, several rooms connected therewith on the basement, and the western side of the upper floor. Should visitors wish to proceed at once to any particular part of the exhibition, instead of following the course of the Guide, a reference to the plans of the two principal floors of the Museum prefixed to this work will enable them to do so. In addition to the parts of the building already indicated, the Grenville room, the Manuscript Saloon, the Royal Library and the Gold Ornament Room are open to visitors on public days. * The entrance to the Grenville room is on the eastern side of the hall, under the clock. In this room is deposited the splendid library bequeathed to the nation in 1847 by the Right Hon. Thomas Grenville, a marble bust of whom, by Comolli, stands in a recess on the southern side. Here, as well as in the Royal library, are exhibited various printed books, selected to show the progress of the art of printing, with specimens of ornamental and curious binding. From the Grenville library the visitor proceeds to the Manuscript Saloon, where selections of manuscripts, charters, autographs, and seals are arranged for inspection.* The visitor next enters the Royal library, and here, besides the printed books already mentioned, are exhibited some interesting and valuable specimens from the department of prints and drawings.* J. W. J. * See the several Guides to these exhibitions, separately printed and sold in the Museum, price one penny and twopence each. |