British Museum Reading Room
The British Museum Reading Room, situated in the centre of the Great Court of the British Museum, used to be the main reading room of the British Library. In 1997, this function moved to the new British Library building at St Pancras, London, but the Reading Room remains in its original form at the British Museum.
Inside the Reading Room, before its conversion to an exhibition space
Detail of the ceiling with its oculus
A panorama showing an almost 180-degree view of the interior of the Reading Room
The reading desks
Queen Elizabeth II Great Court
The Queen Elizabeth II Great Court, commonly referred to simply as the Great Court, is the covered central quadrangle of the British Museum in London. It was redeveloped during the late 1990s to a design by Foster and Partners, from a 1970s design by Colin St John Wilson. The court was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000.
View of the Great Court from the second floor of the southern wing.
East Portico of Sir Robert Smirke's building; Roman equestrian statue visible in the foreground
Hoa Hakananai'a
The Reading Room and Great Court roof as viewed from ground level.