That blue expanse on the left of today"s homepage image is the roof of the British Museum"s Great Court and Reading Room in London. The oculus at the top of the dome is made of glass, and the ceilings within are papier-mâché. The Great Court opened in 2000, a new addition to a storied institution. Irish physician Sir Hans Sloane sold his personal collection of antiquities and books to Great Britain in the early 18th century. Sloane’s items included many books, rare manuscripts, and artifacts from around the globe, and he wanted them preserved and exhibited in public. This led to the creation of the British Museum, the world’s first national public museum, which opened this day in 1759. The collection has grown and changed significantly since then, but one detail remains: Admission to this London attraction is still free.
A personal collection becomes an institution
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Giving Tuesday
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Edinburgh festivals
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Happy trails for the 21st century
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Corjuem Fort in Goa, India
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This reef is nowhere near the sea…
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Happy New Year!
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Alaska Day
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Waimea Canyon and Waipoo Falls, Kauai, Hawaii
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Spreadsheet Day
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I m here! Take a look at me!
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Golden larches and Prusik Peak, the Enchantments, Washington
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Happy 800th, Salisbury Cathedral
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It s Republic Day in India
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A good time in the Badlands
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Mekong River Delta, Long An, Vietnam
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European hedgehog
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Grand finish of Le Tour
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Black History Month
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World Laughter Day—it s a hoot
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Listening to the sea
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A swim in the sky
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Wildebeests in Maasai Mara, Kenya
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The moon rises for Mid-Autumn Festival
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Art Basel Miami Beach
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Lake Bled, Slovenia
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Ski touring in Austria
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Instant romance
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So, how long till springtime?
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In the path of the pronghorn
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An avian predator built for the snow