An Oasis

British Museum is 250

The British Museum is celebrating its 250th Birthday today.

Founded by an Act of Parliament (British Museum Act) , the British Museum was the first national public museum in the world - the first to belong to a nation rather than a monarch (King George II was on the throne at that time) or private patron, established for the nation's benefit, its collection (bought for £20,000 from the estate of Sir Hans Sloane, a phycisist and scientist, who died that year aged 93) available to all 'studious and curious' people regardless of rank or status, free of charge.

Also in 1753; the liberty bell first tolled, Scottish philosopher who gave rise to Edinburgh's description as the 'Athens of the North' Dugald Stewart was born, Charles Morrison (a surgeon of Greenstok, UK) in a letter to Scot's Magazine proposes the use of an electric telegraph.

Posted by Paul at June 7, 2003 05:17 AM |