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This nation's saving place
The British Museum has always maintained a worldwide perspective and has brought understanding and wonder to the public for the past 250 years.
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The story of the British Museum.
Recent History
In 1963 The British Museum (Natural History) was recognised as a completely separate institution and in 1973 the departments of Printed Books, Manuscripts and Oriental Printed Books and Manuscripts were separated from The British Museum to form part of the new British Library although at first physically staying under the same roof.
The Museum's constant need to find more space led to a number of developments during the 1970s; the Ethnographical collections were moved to the Museum of Mankind in Piccadilly and two new stores were opened, one at Orsman Road in Hackney (Franks House) and one at the old National Savings Bank building at Blythe Road in Hammersmith, the latter being shared with the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert. Also during the 1970s, the New Wing was built to house mainly offices, but also included new restaurants, meeting rooms and an exhibition gallery.
With the final departure of the British Library departments to their new building in St Pancras in 1998, the way became clear to convert all the vacated space to Museum use and the Great Court scheme was begun. Opened in December 2000 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, this provided a new education centre as well as new galleries, shops and restaurants, while the Reading Room itself was restored and converted into an Information Centre. For the first time in the Museum's history visitors are now able to walk across the Museum at ground floor level.
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Content last updated: 25/07/2005
