British Museum

===Growth and change (1800–1825)===

[[File:P8282318.1.JPG|thumb|right|Left to Right: [[Montagu House, Bloomsbury|Montagu House]], Townley Gallery and [[Robert Smirke (architect)|Sir Robert Smirke]]'s west wing under construction, July 1828]]
[[File:Mauso03.JPG|thumb|The [[Mausoleum at Halicarnassus|Mausoleum of Halicarnassus]] Room, 1920s]]

In the early 19th century the foundations for the extensive collection of sculpture began to be laid and Greek, Roman and Egyptian artefacts dominated the antiquities displays. After the defeat of the [[Campaigns of 1799 in the French Revolutionary Wars|French campaign]] in the [[Battle of the Nile]], in 1801, the British Museum acquired more Egyptian sculptures and in 1802 [[George III of the United Kingdom|King George III]] presented the [[Rosetta Stone]] – key to the deciphering of hieroglyphs.<ref>''Wondrous Curiosities – Ancient Egypt at the British Museum'', pp. 66–72 (Stephanie Moser, 2006, {{ISBN|0-226-54209-2}})</ref> Gifts and purchases from [[Henry Salt (Egyptologist)|Henry Salt]], British consul general in Egypt, beginning with the [[Younger Memnon|Colossal bust of Ramesses II]] in 1818, laid the foundations of the collection of Egyptian Monumental Sculpture.<ref>''The Story of the British Museum'', p. 24 (Marjorie Caygill, 2003, {{ISBN|0-7141-2772-8}})</ref> Many Greek sculptures followed, notably the first purpose-built exhibition space, the [[Charles Towneley|Charles Towneley collection]], much of it Roman sculpture, in 1805. In 1806, [[Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin]], ambassador to the [[Ottoman Empire]] from 1799 to 1803 removed the large collection of marble sculptures from the [[Parthenon]], on the [[Acropolis of Athens|Acropolis]] in Athens and transferred them to the UK. In 1816 these masterpieces of western art were acquired by the British Museum by Act of Parliament and deposited in the museum thereafter.<ref>The British Museum – The Elgin Marbles, p. 85 (B.F.Cook, 2005, {{ISBN|0-7141-2134-7}}</ref> The collections were supplemented by the [[Bassae]] frieze from [[Phigalia|Phigaleia]], [[Greece]] in 1815. The Ancient Near Eastern collection also had its beginnings in 1825 with the purchase of [[Assyria]]n and [[Babylonia]]n antiquities from the widow of [[Claudius James Rich]].<ref>The British Museum – Assyrian Sculpture, pp. 6–7 (Julian Reade, 2004, {{ISBN|0-7141-2141-X}})</ref>

In 1802 a buildings committee was set up to plan for expansion of the museum, and further highlighted by the donation in 1822 of the [[King's Library]], personal library of King George III's, comprising 65,000 volumes, 19,000 [[pamphlet]]s, maps, charts and [[Topographic map|topographical drawings]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelprestype/prbooks/georgeiiicoll/george3kingslibrary.html |title=King's Library |publisher=Bl |access-date=22 October 2011 |archive-date=13 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813040241/http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelprestype/prbooks/georgeiiicoll/george3kingslibrary.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Neoclassical architecture|neoclassical]] architect, [[Robert Smirke (architect)|Sir Robert Smirke]], was asked to draw up plans for an eastern extension to the museum "...&nbsp;for the reception of the [[Royal Library, Windsor|Royal Library]], and a Picture Gallery over it ..."<ref>Wilson, David, M. (2002). ''The British Museum: A History''. London: The British Museum Press, p. 79</ref> and put forward plans for today's quadrangular building, much of which can be seen today. The dilapidated Old [[Montagu House, Bloomsbury|Montagu House]] was demolished and work on the [[King's Library]] Gallery began in 1823. The extension, the East Wing, was completed by 1831. However, following the founding of the [[National Gallery, London|National Gallery]], London in 1824,<ref group="lower-alpha">Understanding of the foundation of the [[National Gallery, London|National Gallery]] is complicated by the fact that there is no documented history of the institution. At first the National Gallery functioned effectively as part of the British Museum, to which the [[trustee]]s transferred most of their most important pictures (ex. portraits). Full control was handed over to the National Gallery in 1868, after the [[National Gallery Act 1856]] established the gallery as an independent body.</ref> the proposed Picture Gallery was no longer needed, and the space on the upper floor was given over to the [[Natural history]] collections.<ref>Caygill, Marjorie (2003). ''The Story of the British Museum'', p. 25. {{ISBN|0-7141-2772-8}})</ref>

The first Synopsis of the British Museum was published in 1808. This described the contents of the museum, and the display of objects room by room, and updated editions were published every few years.