Page "British Museum" Paragraph 5

Although principally a museum of cultural art objects and antiquities today, the British Museum was founded as a " universal museum ".

Its foundations lie in the will of the physician and naturalist Sir Hans Sloane ( 1660 – 1753 ).

During the course of his lifetime Sloane gathered an enviable collection of curiosities and, not wishing to see his collection broken up after death, he bequeathed it to King George II, for the nation, for the princely sum of £ 20, 000.