BRITISH MUSEUM, THE

national depository of books, MSS., and various antiquities and objects of art, Great Ru ell Street, London. In 1754 Montague House was purchased by the Government for lodgment of Cotton i an and Harleian MSS., and the Sloane library and museum; it was opened, 1759, as the B.M., but pulled down, 1845, and the present building erected on its site. The great circular domed reading-room, with wide reading epee for 300 readers, was added, 1757. e library contains about 5,000,000 books, and is entitled to a copy of Sher eee cation which appears in Gt. The Natural History exhibits were removed to 8S. Kensington Natural History Museum, 1880-81.