The present "Guide" gives a concise account of the con- 
tents of the exhibition rooms in the several departments of 
Zoology, Minerals, Fossils, Botany, and Antiquities, in the 
British Museum, and is intended to supply such information 
as is necessary for the generality of visitors to the collections, 
in addition to that which is furnished by the labels attached 
to the various objects. 
A Synopsis, which is in course of preparation, will give a 
fuller description of the collections visited by the public ; it 
wiR be accompanied by scientific and literary notes, and illus- 
trated by wood-engravings. 
A. PANIZZI, 
PrinciiKil Librarian. 
British Museum, 
January 15th, 1859. 
In the j^ear 1753 an Act of Parliament was passed (26 Geo. II. cap. 
22), enacting that the collections formed by Sir Hans Sloane, as well 
as the Cottonian and Harleian collections of Manuscripts should be 
vested in certain Trustees, and, together with such additions as might 
be made to them, placed in one general repository, to be there 
preserved for public use to all posterity. The Trustees were incor- 
porated under the name of " Trustees of the British Museum," with 
power to make such regulations as they deemed fit for the preservation 
and inspection of the collections, the care and custody of which were 
chiefly committed to the " Principal Librarian," to be continually aided 
in the execution of his duty by certain officers, whose attendance and 
assistance should be necessary in the care and preservation of the 
aljove-mentioned general repository. 
Montague House was purchased by the Trustees in 1754 as a repo 
sitory for the collections which, under the above Act of Parliament, 
were removed to it; and on the 15th of January, 1759, the British 
Museum was opened for the inspection and use of the public. At 
first the Museum was divided into three departments, viz., Printed 
Books, Manuscripts, and Natural History ; at the head of each of thena 
was placed an oflicer designated an " Under Librarian.' 
