Awesome.The Japanese Exhibition At The British Museum,London.Please Watch In HD

The Japanese Exhibition At The British Museum,LondonThe origins of the British Museum lie in the will of the physician, naturalist and collector, Sir Hans Sloane (1660-1753). Sloane wanted his collection of more than 71,000 objects, library and herbarium to be preserved intact after his death. He bequeathed it to King George II for the nation in return for payment of £20,000 to his heirs. If refused, the collection was to be offered to centres of learning abroad. A large and influential group of Trustees was charged with overseeing the disposition of his estate.

The King had little interest but Parliament, led by the Speaker, Arthur Onslow, was persuaded to accept the gift. An Act of Parliament establishing the British Museum received the royal assent on 7 June 1753. This stated that the funds for the purchase and storage of the collections should be raised by public lottery.

The Cotton collection of manuscripts, given to the nation in 1700, was attached to the new museum and £10,000 was expended on the purchase of the Harleian collection of manuscripts. A new Board of Trustees was established.

The foundation collections largely consisted of books, manuscripts and natural history with some antiquities (including coins and medals, prints and drawings) and ethnography (the study of cultures). In 1757 King George II donated the 'Old Royal Library' of the sovereigns of England and with it the privilege of copyright receipt.

The Museum was first housed in a seventeenth-century mansion, Montagu House, in Bloomsbury on the site of today's building. On 15 January 1759 the British Museum opened to the public. With the exception of two World Wars, when parts of the collection were evacuated, it has remained open ever since, gradually increasing its opening hours and moving from an attendance of 5,000 per year to today's 5 million.

From its beginnings the British Museum was a new type of institution. Governed by a body of Trustees responsible to Parliament, its collections belonged to the nation, with free admission for all. Entry was given to 'all studious and curious Persons, linking public enjoyment with education.

Access to the library and information on the collections has always been available through the Reading Room. The first students' room, Prints & Drawings, opened in 1808.

The first famous antiquities, Sir William Hamilton's collection of Greek vases and other classical objects, were purchased in 1772. These were followed by such high profile acquisitions as the Rosetta Stone and other antiquities from Egypt (1802), the Townley collection of classical sculpture (1805), and the sculptures of the Parthenon, known as the Elgin Marbles (1816).

As the natural history collections and the library expanded, Montagu House was rapidly outgrown. In 1823 the gift to the nation by George IV of his father's library (the King's Library) lead to the construction of today's quadrangular building designed by Sir Robert Smirke (1780-1867). The first phase was completed in 1852. Construction of the round Reading Room followed, designed by Robert's brother Sydney (1798-1877, and positioned in the central courtyard in 1854-7.

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• japanese
• exhibition
• art
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• british
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• london
• japan
• relaxation
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• calming

[tiokiko64]

Really very nice. I like specially the drawings and the paintings, and the katanas as well. *****

[chuckadave]

Thank you,I like the calligraphy and the Armour

[yoshiyuki2236]

This is wonderful collection.

I like word of 敬愛 (love and respect) at first calligraphy.

Thank you.

[chuckadave]

Thanks for your translation.

Massive building! it would take a few days to view all the exhibitions

[sikanosukeyamanaka]

nice. thank you.

[chuckadave]

Thanks for watching

[pvandean]

can anybody tell me the name of the songs used in this video? It is very peaceful and inspiring music.

[agatharib]

Semplicemente meraviglioso, mi sono emozionata moltissimo, grazie mille, cosi mi posso fare un'idea quando andro a vedere dal vivo !

[KAMAERUE]

I LOVE THIS BUILDING TOO WHOAA!