The Sun.
London, England, 1841-06-25 00:00:00

BRITISH MUSEUM.

At the British Museum, not.vithstandite the fears of
some of the principal oalcers, expre ,sed oeiore the S-,-
lect Committee, in lils-6, the great. experiment 611,8
been made of admitting the puidic on the annual 'holi-
days ; and the result has been very satisfactory. It ;ap-
pears from Sir Henry Ellis's evidence, that from. 16,000
to upwards of 32,000 persons have passed Wrough the
rooms of that Institution in one day witb.- ±,ut any acci-
dent or mischief ; and, it is gratifv;-1g to report, that
in the course of the three -fOur years that this
liberal system has contintt.' not a single case has re-
quired the interference_ of the police, although the dis-
placement from old, and the re-arrangement of the
collections in, the new rooms, consequent to the re-
building oe, the premises, have been very unfavourable
to the eree passage of large numbers of visitors. The
exclusion of children under eight years of age, though
gander the care of their parents, has caused consider-
able inconvenience and disappointment., and prevented
many persons from visiting the Museum ; and that
exclusion is more complained of, as children are ad-
mitted to Hampton Court Palace and to the National
Gallery without any inconvenience. The days open to
the public are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays,
from ten to five in winter, and until seven in summer ;
and on Tuesdays and Thursdays the museum is visited
by parties on private admission ;—it may be a question
whether granting One or both of those clays to the public
would, in any great degree, increase the trouble to the
attendants, whilst, it would be a great convenience and
advantage to the public, especially in avoiding the
disappointment of visitors from the country. It is alsoa
matter worthy of the consideration of the Trustees, whe-
ther there be any necessity to require visitors, when they
proceed in parties to write their names in a book, whilst
entering separately, they are not required so to do. Delay
is the consequence of that rule, and no advantage whatever
seems to be derived from it. Your Committee consider
that it is most desirable that all obstables should be
removed consistently with the safety of the collection.
The evidence of Mr. Hawkins and Mr. Gray points out
the want of that convenience for visitors which your
Committee think ought to be afforded ; and they
trust that it will be only necessary to call the atten-
tion of the Trustees to that subject. Your Committee
call attention to the small number of visitors who enter
the Museum between the hours of six and seven
o'clock, and how far it may be advisable, consistent
with public convenience; to close the admission at six
o'clock.

THE NATIONAL GALLERY
Affords a 'still more gratifying- instance of success
from, free arimission. The public are admitted on four
days a Weik ; viz., Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and
Thursday, from ten o'clock to five in winter, and to

:six in ammer ; and men, women, and children are ad-
mitted. without distinction. If Friday and Saturday be
realty required for the convenience of students, the
Only additional time that could be afforded would be on
Sunday, after the time of Divine Service. The number
of visitors has increased from 125,000 in 1837, to
397,649, in. 1838, and in 1840 to upwards of 500,000.
The greatest propriety has been observed in the de-
meanor of the visitors, and no instance of misconduct
requiring the interference of the> police authority, has
occurred. Children of every age hare been admitted,
with or wii lout their parents ; and not one accident
has occur 1, or any inconvenience been experienced.
It appear.; that the ro;mis in that Institution require
ventilation ; and your Committee consider it only ne-
cessary to • call the attention of the House to the Evi-
dence of 11 r. Wildsmith on that subject.
TOWER.

Amongst the officers of the Tower of London some
doubts exist ,ea, and reluctance was manifested to allow
the admissic as. of the public at the low charge of 6d. each;
but the ir ,st satisfactory proofs of the error of these
doubts has as been afforded by the trial made. The beha-
viour of tl ie public generally has given satisfaction to all
parties. ' antrial•number of visitors to the Armoury
has risen t 1-om 11%200 in 1837, at 2s. fee each, to 40,000
in 1838, at ; Is.--to 84,000, in 1839, at 6d. ; and, in 1840,
to 94,973, e7.ciusive of 3,184 by orders from the officers,
producing 2,3741. at 6d. each. Official orders for free
admission have now ceased.
Your C or imittee are pleased to find that a desire for
improving: and increasing the collection of ancient ar-
moury at ti le Tower has been manifested since the great
accession t.f visitors and the excitement of public in-
terest; ar, •d it is hoped that a more complete and his-
torical ar r ingement will soon be adopted. The sum of
1,0941. of t he receipts has been, in the last year, applied
by the iVia; iter-General of the Ordnance to the purchase
of ancient armour, arms, shields, &c., adding, thereby.,
greatly to the value of the collection. By the rules laid
down by t he Constable of the Tower, it is required that
the visito n ;, after paying for their tickets at the entrance
gate, on ti he west side of the Tower, shall assemble in
a room app Propriated for that purpose adjoining the Ar-
moury, a n d there they are sometimes detained a consider-
able time I usstil a warder can accompany them. The time
allowed to the visitors to examine the whole of the Ar-
moury foes not exceed one hour, and often a less time
is allow ed by the warder on the circuit he makes. Your
Commi itee desire to observe that at Hampton Court
Palace a id the National Gallery visitors are allowed to
enter wi' ;limit any delay or impediment whatsoever ; and
at the 1 3ritish Museum also, with the exception of the
time tals :en to write the name of one visitor in every
party, t he public are allowed to remain as long as they
please to view the collection, and seats are also provided
in the. Museum and National Gallery for visitors ; and
no inconvenience has been found to arise from that in-
slul';,ence. Your Committee desire to call the attention
of the House to the evidence of Mr. Buss, an artist, who
expresses a strong opinion of the inconvenience of the
present hurried mode of exhibiting the Armoury ; and
Itteee evidence of Mr. Gilborne, one of the warders, as to
the deficiency of the number of warders for the efficient
service under the present system, deserves attention.
THE CROWN JEWELS IN THE TOWER.
The j ewels are under the charge of her Majesty's Lord
Chamborlain, and the keeper receives his orders from
him. The exhibition of them, at a charge of 2s. each
person, with Is. fee to the warder accompanying the
party, had been long continued. By returns before the
Committee, it appears that in the years 1835, 1836, and
1837, the numbers of visitors to the Jewel-house was
between 6,000 and 7,000 in each year, producing, at the
fees stated, a gross amount of from 655/. to 692C'yearly ;
whilst in the year 1838, when the admission to the
Armoury was reduced on the Ist of May in that year to
ls. each, the number of visitors to the Jewel-house in-
creased to 18,561, and the fees received amounted to
1,594/. 12s. Since the Ist January, 1841, an arrange
-
meet has been made by which Mr. Swift, the keeper7i;
to receive a yearly salary, paid out of the fees ; and the
public have been admitted sincethathte
fordlavaterde theaetr.6diCo ill!
be
be
without any additional charge for
be seen by the return (see AppeAppendix)mittee, that 8,115 persons have visited the Jewel-house
a greater number
in the month of April alone ; being
than had visited it in either of the years 1835, 1836,
or 1837.
It is gratifying to your Committee to state to the
House, that the Lords of her Majesty's Treasury have
erected a new house in the Tower, well suited
for the
purpose of keeping and of exhibiting the Crown jewels
the whole expense of which is to be defrayed out of the
money received from visitors ; and the change thus
effected will afford great facility and satisfaction.
HAMPTON-COURT PALACE.
This buildins, consists of 29 rooms, with its collection
of paintings, has been generously and liberally thrown
open, by her Majesty's command, without charge or any
restriction of numbers, for five days of the week, from
ten to four o'clock in the winter, and to six o'clock in the
summer, and on Sundays after two o'clock. The num-
ber of visitors has also greatly increased, and the pro-
priety of their demeanour has fully warranted this ac-
comodation. It is pleasing also to observe that those
attendants, who formerly- received fees for admittance,
express as much satisfaction at the change of system as
the public do, whe paid them formerly, not, nefrequently
with reluctance and complaint. To th better feeling
now produced must be ascribed the ;enc.; of any in-
jury to the pictures, such as is mentioned by 31r.GrumlY,
the keeper of the pictures, to have taken place a short
tine before the free system was established. The
number of visitors to the Palace in 1839 was 116,000,
and in 1840, 122,339, mostly of the working classes.
The admission of the public on Sunday afternoons, some-
times to the number of 3,000 persons, and their exem-
plary conduct in the palace and gardens, is a peculiar
and important feature. The state of the apartments—of
the turf, and of the unfenced flower beds in the garden,
where such numbers spread about at will, is certainly a
strong proof of the good disposition and improved con-
duct of the crowds which frequent it, and requires no
other comment than a reference to the very small esta-
blishment of attendants. There is a notice put• up in
the garden in the following words :—" What is intended
for public enjoyment the public are expected to protect;"
and your Committee again call the attention of the
House to the satisfactory result of placing confidence in
the people.

GREENICH HOSITAL.
The attention of our Committee P
has been directed to
the Painted-hall and Chapel of Greenwich Hospital,
which are exhibited the on week-days from seven in
after
one o'cl morningoc ,
k to sunset, and on Sunday afternoons
to the public, on payment of 3d. by
each person for admission to each place. The Painted-
hall, decorated by Sir J. Thoraliill, contains a collection

of paintings consisting of representations of naval ac-
tions, and portraits of Admirals and ftt4l4l
some sculpture, and other objects, interesting to
the public, and chiefly to persons in the naval
service. Soldiers have been admitted to see the
Hall free of charge for many years ; and, since the
Committee began their inquiry, the Lieutenant-Governor,
by order dated 7th May, 1841, has directed that seamen
~hall also in future be admitted free of charge,—a mea-
sure which your Committee highly approve of, The be-
haviour of the visitors is praised by the attendants,
The annual number of visitors to the Painted-hall is
on an average about 100,000, and produces about 1,3001.
a-year. The money received for admission of visitors is
applied to the general funds of the hospital. Consider-
ing that all the pictures contained in the Painted-hall
are the free gift of individuals, foreign as Well as British,
and that they contribute to illustrate the naval history of
the country, and to perpetuate the momory of those dis
tinguished officers who have been thought worthy of a
place in this collection, your Committee strongly re-
commend that, for the gratification and instruction of
the people, the Painted-hall should be opened to the
public for some hours every day, free of charge, in the
same manner as the National Gallery and Hampton
Court Palace, under such regulations as may be re-
quisite.

- As it appears from the evidence that the admission of
the public to the apartments, galleries, and gardens at
Hampton Court, and also the Painted-hall at Green-
wich, on Sunday afternoon, is not attended with any in-
convenience or impropriety, the evidence of several
witnesses tends to show that much advantage would be
derived from similar opportunities being afforded, under
proper regulations, at the British Museum and the 14.-
tional G..itery, with beneficial results ; and your Com-
mittee, concur in that opinion.
ifrom the above detail, it appears to your Committee
that the use which has been made of the facilities Vans
afforded to the public, sufficiently proves the general
disposition of the people to appreciate exhibitions of this
nature, and to avail themselves of these means of in-
struction and innocent recreation. It affords, further,
the most satisfactory evidence of the safety with which
works of art and other objects of curiosity may be
thrown open to public inspection:_