British Museum

The British Museum is the London equivalent of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art in that it covers many different genres and time periods. The collection ranges from the ancient Greeks and Romans to the present, and everything in between including galleries arranged by themes like "Living and Dying" and "The Enlightenment". The museum also includes a central reading room to be used by scholars and researchers. Families and individuals who visit the museum can also visit the Paul Hamlyn Library. This library exists to augment the experience of visiting the museum with more information. It includes books on art, art history, the history of museums, and books about cultural history. It also includes biographies on specific artists. It also houses a selection of periodicals covering current trends in the art world such as some countries wanting their national treasures back from foreign museums, and the art world being affected by possible wars between countries. This library also allows users to use the internet for research purposes and searching their online catalog. The library seemed to be a good way for families to take a break as they browse the extensive museum, and also for adults to research issues that may interest them based on what they saw in the exhibits.