The British Museum 250 years on:
What does it mean to be a world museum?
Celebrating the 250th anniversary of the public
opening of the British Museum
A lecture by Neil MacGregor, Director, British
Museum
Thursday 15 January, 18.30
BP Lecture Theatre
SOLD OUT
An audio recording of this event will be available online from
week commencing 26 January 2009.
On 15 January 1759, the British Museum opened its doors for the
first time to the public. Set up by Parliament six years
earlier it was the first national museum in the world. 250 years
later it is still one of the enduring achievements of the European
Enlightenment and its collection has played a major part in shaping
our understanding of human history.
From the beginning the Museum was unusual in attempting to
gather the whole world into one building, a universality of
ambition that embraced not just its collection but also its
intended public. The objects were to be available free of charge to
all 'studious and curious persons' and were stated explicitly to be
for foreigners as well as natives.
The Museum has remained open to the public for 250 years, moving
from an attendance of 5,000 per year at the beginning to six
million last year. It is now accessible not only to visitors to
Bloomsbury but to millions worldwide online and through travelling
exhibitions. Extending and deepening that access is the great
challenge for the future.
To mark this significant date in the history of the Museum its
Director, Neil MacGregor, will give a special free public lecture
examining the Museum’s enduring commitment to making its collection
available worldwide
Image: Neil MacGregor, Director of the
British Museum