British Museum

The British Museum is a national museum in the United Kingdom, holding a collection of art and antiquities from ancient and living cultures. Established by act of Parliament in 1753, the Museum was originally based on three collections: those of Sir Hans Sloane; Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford; and Sir Robert Cotton. Opened to the public in 1759, the Museum's collection is one of the finest in existence, encompassing two million years of human history.