266 years of the British Museum

January 15, 1759, marked the opening of a place that would become the pride of London, a hub of global history, and a keeper of countless stories: the British Museum. For the first time in the world, a national museum flung its doors wide open, offering free access to knowledge and culture for all. The story begins with Sir Hans Sloane, an Anglo-Irish physician and avid collector. His collection of more than 71,000 items, ranging from books and manuscripts to botanical samples and antiquities, formed the museum's foundation. Fast forward 266 years, the museum houses more than 8 million objects, the largest collection of artifacts in the world, although only about 1% of the collection is currently on display. Its treasures span continents and millennia, from the Rosetta Stone—key to deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs—to the Parthenon Marbles, the Benin Bronzes, and samurai armor.
Moreover, the museum has embraced modernity with virtual tours, interactive exhibits, and even TikTok moments, proving that history isn't stuck in the past.
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