As we walked up to the British Museum gates, I could get a sense of the sheer volume of people who visit it. It was early in the morning and the metal gates were set up to organize the crowds. We weaved our way through the maze of gates and made our way into the security tent for our bags to be inspected. Unfortunately, this is the norm in England due to the political climate of terrorism around the world. We are getting used to the procedure and I am grateful for the precautions. It's better to be proactive than reactive.
We struck a pose for the group photo and made our way into the building. The second photo in this post does not justify the beauty in the main hall. The combination of light coming through the glass ceiling and the cream coloured walls and floor, make the British Museum feel open. I am curious about the architect team and I only can imagine how much this project cost. But now I am getting distracted...
We met the head librarian and she took us into the Reading Room, an area closed off for to the public. As I walked through the door, I could not help myself. I said "Wow!" out load. The room is so beautiful. I took a photo of it and I decided to use it for the "About" page in this blog.
We were shown amazing historical documents, including ones signed by Queen Elizabeth I, Karl Marx, and Oscar Wilde. There were so many treasures in that room. We discussed the importance of maintaining the archives, what elements could damage these historical documents, and staffing issues reflecting public funding. I could see how passionate the archivists were in organizing and maintaining these treasures.
This is one of the many tours in this program I will never forget.
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