ABSTRACT
When the objects I were placed on exhibition in the British Museum, the donors - and especially Joseph Banks2 - were noted, but apparently the objects were given no labels. In comparing the British Museum to the private museum of Sir Ashton Lever, a German preacher in 1785 made the following remark:
What I like about it [the Leverian Museum3] is, that one can walk around for hours without the need of a guide, because every case contains the name of the article on a small printed label stuck to the glass. I am surprised that the British Museum with all its natural rarities does not follow this example at least with major objects. It would be a great help to the guides and a great service to the public.
