INTRODUCTION. 



the latter. The geDeral style was that of the French 

 Benaissance, and the material red brick, with white terracotta 

 mouldings and strings, and red terracotta ornament : polished 

 granite or marbles were to be introduced if desired. 



It had a central cupola, and four surrounding smaller 

 cupolas, and was flanked by two towers with belvedere 

 storeys. 



The main entrance was through a vestibule into a central 

 hall under the cupola, where was placed the principal 

 stair; and a theatre, or lecture-room, 100 feet in diameter, 

 was approached from the hall. 



From the centre of the building a suite of rooms extended 

 longitudinally to the right and left ; and from these opened, 

 at right angles, the several Museum rooms, side by side. At 

 each side of the hall were glass-covered courts, suitable for 

 exhibiting larger isolated objects. 



Early in the year 1866, Mr. Alfred Waterhouse was Mr - A. w»- 



tjCI*llOU.S6 Gil* 



invited by the Chief Commissioner of Works to take up the gas! ed. 

 unfinished work of Captain Fowke ; but he found himself 

 unable to complete the plan to his own satisfaction, and in 

 February, 1868, he was commissioned to form a fresh design, 

 embodying the requirements of the officers of the Natural 

 History Departments of the Museum. 



Mr. Waterhouse was not long in submitting to the His P ]an 

 Trustees his plan and model of a building, with a disposition 

 of galleries as required, and these were formally accepted by 

 the Trustees in April, 1868. It was not, however, until 

 February, 1871, that the working plans had been thoroughly 

 considered and had received the final approval of the 

 Trustees. 



The actual work of erection was commenced in the year Completion 

 1873, and the building was handed over to the Trustees of building, 

 of the British Museum by H.M. Commissioners of Works in 

 the month of June, 1880. By the kindness of Mr. Water- 

 house I am able to submit a description of the structure as 

 written by himself. — 



" The New Natural History Museum will, from its position, Description, 

 always be more or less identified with the International 

 Exhibition of 1862, which occupied the whole of the site 



