Twentieth century: developing today's collection

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The twentieth century saw the reorganisation of the Museum’s collection and the opening of a number of new galleries in which to display the collection to visitors.

A key development following the end of the First World War, was the creation of the research laboratory in 1920.

Its remit was to report on the condition of objects and to assist in their restoration and preservation. This department was created after many of the items in the collection were found to have deteriorated during their wartime storage.

A number of key archaeological finds were discovered during the twentieth century. Abroad, a series of graves known as The Royal Cemetery, were discovered on an expedition to Ur.

Meanwhile in Britain the famous Anglo-Saxon ship burial at Sutton Hoo was discovered (1938). The finds were presented to the Museum in 1939.

In 1997, the collection was again divided with the library departments leaving the Museum to be re-housed at the new British Library in St Pancras.