2 



INTRODUCTION. 



Panizzi, in demonstrating its great deficiencies, strengthened 

 so greatly his appeal for the means of making them good, that 

 in the year 1847 the Trustees were enabled to obtain an 

 annual grant for the purpose on a munificent scale. But the 

 existing accommodation for books was already exhausted, and 

 it was only after long discussion, and the consideration of 

 many suggestions for providing more space, that the scheme, 

 conceived by Mr. Panizzi, of covering the greater part of the 

 Museum inner quadrangle was adopted, and the magnificent 

 Eeading-Room with its surrounding galleries gave the required 

 relief to the over-crowded Library. 



This erection was completed in the year 1857, when it 

 had already become apparent that an equal or greater effort 

 would have to be made to find exhibition space for other 

 departments. Besides that the collections of Coins and 

 Medals, and Prints and Drawings, so instructive for art and 

 archaeology, were not shown to the public at all, massive 

 sculpture was yearly being received in overwhelming quantities 

 from buried cities of Assyria and Asia Minor, and from the 

 site of ancient Carthage, and these with other precious 

 antiquities were being stored in disfiguring sheds placed within 

 the colonnade of the principal facade, or were perforce 

 consigned to obscure vaults in the basement. It became 

 evident that either the Museum building must be greatly 

 enlarged, or that portions of the collections must be removed 

 to another locality. 



The Keeper of Antiquities had reported, on the 8th of 

 July, 1856, "that if the Department of Antiquities is to 

 remain in Bloomsbury, it will be necessary to secure the whole 

 of the ground lying to the west and south-west of the Museum." 

 Reports from Keepers of Natural History collections were 

 equally urgent, at the same period, for provision of space for 

 the exhibition of their specimens. During the year 1857 the 

 mis sug- Trustees considered plans for giving relief to the Natural 

 History departments ; and in January 1858 they recommended 

 the adoption of Mr. Sydney Smirke's suggestion to purchase 

 the house + in Montague Place, to the north of the Museum, 

 even if Che increase of the collections should at some future 

 time n .ak' y it necessary to transfer any of them to some other 



