British Museum

The **British Museum** (大英博物館, *Daiei Hakubutsukan*?), also known as the **Arsenal** (アーセナル, *Āsenaru*?, lit. *Arsenal*), is a museum in London, widely considered to be one of the world's greatest museums of human history and culture.

In *Toaru Majutsu no Index*, in addition to many precious artifacts and works of art, it also holds religious artifacts, such as a facsimile of the Croce di Pietro, as well as magic artifacts such as grimoires and the Union Jack with most of the caretakers unaware of their true purpose.

## Principles

The British Museum's permanent collection, numbering some eight million works, is amongst the finest, most comprehensive, and largest in existence and originates from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present. The British Library was originally a department of the British Museum and from the mid-19th century occupied the famous circular British Museum Reading Room. It became legally separate in 1973, and by 1997 had moved into its new purpose-built building at St Pancras, London.

Charles Conder is the highest authority on Archaeology, and is the keeper of the museum. He manages and restores the items inside the museum. Due to his knowledge and skill and restoration, he often finds himself working for authorities when it comes to magic side items, such as the Croce di Pietro and Union Jack, for Laura Stuart and Queen Elizard respectively. Among the items that he and the workers process through, there are a few magical items. However, the people working at the British Museum are ordinary people who have nothing to do with magic. Furthermore, the Anglican Church provides theological, religious, and ethical advice on items to the museum. Sherry Cromwell also aids in artistic identification for the museum, and Stiyl Magnus is one of the people entrusted in managing the magical items found there.

Along with Louvre, the Vatican Museums, the ruins of Pataliputra, the ancient city of Compiègne, and Mont Saint-Michel Abbey, the museum is the home to several grimoires that Index has read.

## Background

In the past, the British Library was a department of the museum, occupying the circular British Museum Reading Room from the mid-19th century. It became legally separate in 1973 and moved into a new purpose-built building at St Pancras, London by 1997.

## Chronology

### Toaru Majutsu no Index

#### Daihasei Festival Arc

*Main article: Daihasei Festival Arc (Index)*
Charles Conder of the British Museum is tasked by Laura Stuart to aide the Church in knowing the truth about the Stab Sword, and allowed the Church to borrow a replica from the museum. It was he, who revealed to Laura Stuart, the true nature of the sword, which was in fact the Croce di Pietro.

#### Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Necessarius Special Admission Test

*Main article: Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Necessarius Special Admission Test*
Due to the destruction of the Pound Economy's magical foundation, Queen Elizard contacted the Museum and had them prepare back-up data from the spiritual items stored within it, in order to assist with the recovery. However the data transmission was intercepted by Cynthia Exment and downloaded into her staff, allowing her to replicate the Museum's spiritual item arsenal. She then attempted to destroy the Museum itself, but was stopped outside it by Itsuwa.

#### British Royal Family Arc

*Main article: British Royal Family Arc*
Despite London turning into a battlefield, British Museum apparently survives, and is intact enough for Charles Conder to remain working. Under the orders of the Queen of England, Elizard, Charles Conder secretly works to prepare the Union Jack, a magic artifact that helps in turning the tide of war into the Queen and her allies' favor against Carissa.

### Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index

#### Choronzon Arc

*Main article: Choronzon Arc*
During the Crowley's Hazard invasion of the United Kingdom, various artefacts were brought out of the museum in anticipation of an attack on London. Among them were the Divine Mixtures, capital defense spiritual items for which the defenders didn't have the full information. After discovering information on them from documents found in Lambeth Palace, Holegres Mirates ordered them to be retrieved and brought back to the museum by couriers. Only one of them, Isis-Demeter, transported by Oriana Thomson made it back to the museum, where the Agnese Forces had gathered after the invaders crossed the Strait of Dover and breached the defensive line.

Following the emergence of the reproduced Golden Dawn, Index and Karasuma Fran visited the museum and investigated the back area (which was normally off-limits) in order to gather information to help their allies. In the process, they found where Choronzon had created the reproductions and eventually realized the demon's deception concerning the identity of its host body.