ACCOUNTS, ETC.. OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 11 



VI. — General Progress at the Museum, 

 Bloomsbury. 



It is to be regretted that the number of visitors to the 

 Museum during the day-time has seriously decreased during 

 the past year, the total being only 463,833. The grand total 

 is, however, raised to 530,172, by the additional number of 

 66,339 persons, who visitedthe Museum in the evenings between 

 the hours of 8 and 10 p.m. The average daily number of visitors 

 in the day-time was 1,491 ; that of visitors in the evening 

 was 242. 



The building of new rooms for the better accommodation of 

 the Department of Coins and Medals has been commenced on 

 the western side of the Museum. 



The Babylonian and Assyrian Room in the Northern Gallery 

 has been re-arranged, the smaller Babylonian and Assyrian 

 antiquities formerly exhibited in other parts of the Museum 

 having been removed thither and classified. 



The remains of the Nereid Monument from Xanthos, in 

 Lycia, which were exhibited in the room built in extension of 

 the Entrance Hall, have been removed thence, and have been 

 arranged in the room formerly occupied by the Phigaleian 

 marbles. Here they are seen to great advantage : the eleva- 

 tion of one end of the monument being restored, and the 

 friezes being disposed round the walls, and the statues on the 

 floor, of the room. 



The room vacated by the Nereid Monument will in future 

 be known as the Room of Greek and Latin Inscriptions. Pro- 

 gress has already been made in transferring thither the 

 inscriptions hitherto kept in the basement. 



The arrangement of the Fourth Vase Room has been com- 

 pleted. 



The walls of the Elgin Room have been re-painted. 



The arrangement of the American Room has been completed 

 as far as the present accommodation will admit. All the 

 archaeological remains from the American continent have been 

 brought together and arranged geographically. 



The exhibition of Printed Books in the King's Library has 

 been augmented and re-arranged ; and the Exhibition of 

 Illuminated MSS. has been withdrawn from the King's 

 Library and has been re-arranged in the Grenville Library. 



The number of persons making use of the Reading Room 

 has continued to increase during the past year. The number 

 of visits to the room has been 197,823, as against 190,025 in 



322. 1889. 



