14 ACCOUNTS, ETC., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



IX. — General Progress at the Museum, Bloomsbury. 



The total number of visitors to the Museum iu 1911 was 

 723,571, a decrease of 16,266 in comparison with 1910. The 

 decrease is more than accounted for by the excessive heat of 

 July and August, which discouraged visitors to the extent of 

 nearly 26,000, in comparison with the previous year. The 

 total for weekdays was 659,786 (a falling off of about 10,000), 

 and for Sundays 63,785 (a falling off of about 6,000). 



The number of visits by readers to the Reading Room was 

 223,404, an increase of over 4,000 on the figures for 1910, but still 

 below the totals for 1904 and 1908. The daily average was 745, 

 and the total number of volumes supplied during the year was 

 just under a million and a half, exclusive of the twenty 

 thousand volumes to which readers have free access in the 

 Reading Room itself. In the Newspaper Room the number of 

 readers was 19,212, almost identical with that of the preceding 

 year, and the daily average of volumes of newspapers consulted 

 was 223 (between 3 and 4 for each reader). In addition, 

 2,555 volumes of country newspapers were brought from the 

 Repository at Hendon for the use of students. 



The visits of students to other Departments of the Museum 

 amounted to 37,911, an increase of nearly 1,500 on the previous 

 year, and the highest total yet recorded. There were increases 

 in every Department except those of British and Mediaeval 

 Antiquities and Coins and Medals. In particular, there was 

 again a marked increase in the number of students engaged in 

 copying in the Sculpture Galleries. 



Progress has been made in the British Museum Extension 

 Building, which should be handed over by the contractor in 

 the course of 1912. Plans for the internal furniture and 

 fittings have been prepared, and invitations to tender have 

 been or shortly will be issued. 



Only a small section of the work of reconstructing the roof 

 with fire-resisting partitions was completed during 1911. The 

 usual work of renovation and repair, within and without the 

 building, was carried out ; but it was again found necessary to 

 postpone the re-decoration of the Mausoleum Room. 



The chief special exhibition held during the year was tha.t 

 in connection with the celebration of the Tercentenary of the 

 Authorized Version of the English Bible. To illustrate the 

 history of the English Bible up to the year 1611 a large number 

 of manuscripts, printed editions, and documents were put on 

 view in the Manuscript Saloon and the King's Library, and a 

 special illustrated guide-book was prepared. The exhibition 

 proved exceptionally attractive, and a very large number of 

 copies of the guide-book were sold. 



The Chinese and Japanese paintings set out in the Prints 

 Exhibition Gallery in 1910 remained on view throughout 1911 ; 

 and a selection of the drawings acquired by the Salting Bequest, 

 together with a number of drawings by D. G. Rossetti (pre- 



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