The collection of the British Museum in London is like a treasury of the world: Several million objects from all phases of human history and all continents are stored and exhibited in the monumental neoclassical building. There are sections covering the early history and Europe, the Middle East, ancient Egypt and Sudan, Greek and Roman antiquity, Africa, Oceania and the Americas, Asia, coins, and medals, prints and drawings. Among the exhibits are the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies, and works by Dürer, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Rembrandt.
The foundation stone for the British Museum was laid in 1753, when the physician and scientist Sir Hans Sloane donated his collection of books, manuscripts, and antiquities, comprising over 70,000 objects, to the state. Six years later, this collection was first made accessible to the public. Today, the museum attracts more than six million visitors a year - not least because admission to the permanent exhibitions has been free for several years.
The originals of the artworks shown here are on display at the British Museum.
