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Revisit Ming’s Glory at the British Museum

Chinese Ming Dynasty's porcelain on exhibit in British Museum. (Photo © Bai Xuejia | Dreamstime.com)

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By Bethany Shepard, Olivia Jones

April 6, 2023
1:48 pm
Los Angeles, CA

The British Museum is one of London’s most significant monuments with over 7 million visitors annually. The museum’s more than 700 galleries represent nearly all cultures throughout time. This distinguishes the British Museum as a museum of the world for the entire globe. The seven million annual visitors to the museum come to investigate its magnificent beauty and to learn about the civilizations of various cultures such as China, India, Rome, Greece, and Egypt. The vibrant cultures of Africa, Yugoslavia, and Australia are a second factor that attracts many visitors to the British Museum. The museum also seeks to unite archaic cultures with their contemporary approaches. For example, a visit will allow you to investigate a wonderful contemporary exhibition of Middle Eastern calligraphy alongside ancient collection items. The fact

The seven million annual visitors to the museum come to investigate its magnificent beauty and to learn about the civilizations of various cultures such as China, India, Rome, Greece, and Egypt. The vibrant cultures of Africa, Yugoslavia, and Australia are a second factor that attracts many visitors to the British Museum. The museum also seeks to unite archaic cultures with their contemporary approaches. For example, a visit will allow you to investigate a wonderful contemporary exhibition of Middle Eastern calligraphy alongside ancient collection items.

The fact that the British Museum is not a typical museum raises the benchmark for the institution. Curatorial staff at the British Museum are primarily responsible for researching the museum’s collections and adding new dimensions to them.

People visit British Museum Great Court in London. The museum was established in 1753 and holds approximately 8 million objects. (Photo: © Tupungato | Dreamstime.com)

Thus, the British Museum is not merely a repository for artifacts, but also a functioning research center where scholars devote their time and resources to conducting research. Scholars can devote more than five years to a particular project. As a consequence, the museum has been able to preserve an unparalleled collection over the course of time. There are individuals who work with paper, organic materials, stone, metal, ceramic, and textiles at the museum. These individuals are always present in the museum because they are devoted to its maintenance and expansion.

The museum has also created a mystical conservation section that has wowed its visitors, and this may be one of the primary reasons why so many people return to this location year after year.

Chinese porcelain on exhibit is taken in british museum. (Photo: © Bai Xuejia | Dreamstime.com)

This remarkable collection has been acquired by the British Museum through a variety of means, including purchases, gifts from individuals willing to donate their items to the museum, and items donated after the owner’s death. This has been an ongoing practice for over 250 years. So, you can envision the significance of these collections. The first voyage to bring collectible items to the museum occurred in 1753 by Sahan Slawn, an investor in hot chocolate. Thus, the original museum’s collection is based on this legend.

However, tremendous progress has been made since then, as the museum has continued to greatly expand its collection. Today, the museum can expand its collection magnificently through donations from local and international members of the public, purchases, and bequests. In addition, curators go out of their way to acquire new items, which has allowed the museum to amass a vast collection of objects from various origins.

Temporary exhibitions are intended to inject new vitality into the museum’s permanent collection. In 2014, for instance, the museum introduced China Ming, a collection that focuses on the 50 years that transformed China. Through this compilation, much can be said about China during that time period. Numerous beautiful objects such as blue and white pulsars and marvelous archeological discoveries were created during this time. Other objects unearthed between 2001 and 2002, include princess jewelry, gold, etc. The exhibition focuses on the courts and the global connection. Through the exhibition, the museum hopes to improve the public’s comprehension of the multiple courts.

The collection methods of the 18th and 19th centuries were radically different from those used today, but the museum has maintained exceptional standards. Visitors to the museum are enthusiastic about the collections as well as their preservation and presentation. In fact, most visitors are anxious to schedule a return trip. This is the finest location for foreigners to acquire in-depth knowledge of Chinese culture.