ACCOUNTS, ETC., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 11 



VL — General Progress at the Museum, 

 Bloomsbury. 



The number of visitors to the Museum in the day-time has 

 slightly increased during the past year, being 474,765, as 

 against 463,833 in 1890. The grand total, however, of 514,914 

 falls short of that of last year, the number of visitors in the 

 evening having declined. The average daily number of 

 visitors in the day-time was 1,527, that of visitors in the 

 evening was 143. 



The new building on the western side of the Museum, for 

 the better accommodation of the Department of Coins and 

 Medals, has been completed. 



The re-arrangement of the room built in extension of the 

 Entrance Hall, which was commenced in 1890 by the removal 

 of the Nereid Monument, has now been practically completed, 

 the two large Lycian tombs having been taken down and re- 

 erected in the Mausoleum Room, and a selection of Greek and 

 Roman inscriptions and sculptures having been placed in 

 position on the walls and floor. 



The sculptures which formerly stood in the centre of the 

 Roman Gallery have been removed to other parts of the 

 Museum, in order to clear the main approach to the sculpture 

 galleries which form the western half of the Ground Floor. 



The Mausoleum Room is undergoing re-arrangement. The 

 two Lycian tombs referred to above have been erected at the 

 southern end, and the colossal lion from Cnidos, which has 

 hitherto stood in the Elgin Room, has been placed in position 

 at the northern end. The architectural remains and the 

 colossal sculptures of the Mausoleum are being grouped, with 

 a view to giving a more instructive idea of their original 

 arrangement. 



In the Egyptian Gallery some changes have been made in 

 the disposal of the sculptures, in order to introduce recent 

 acquisitions. The most important of these is a fine monolithic 

 column, with palm-leaf capital, of the time of Rameses II. 



In order to provide more storage room for the Department 

 of Printed Books, the large bay at the foot of the North-east 

 Staircase is being enclosed and fitted with galleries and 

 presses. 



The number of persons using the Reading Room has again 

 increased slightly during the past year. The number of visits 

 to the room has been 198,310, as against 197,823 in 1890. 

 The average daily number of readers has been 654. The 



325. B 2 average 



