British Library

The weather forecast for today was 31 degrees so I changed my plans from Oxford and decided to visit the British Library which is just down the road from the hotel.

They have an exhibit of 'Treasures of the British Library' which included documents and books dating from 600AD to the 1960's.

No photographs as they don't allow photography which is quite understandable given the age and condition of some of the items on display.

The most interesting items were

• A Gutenberg Bible.
• Letters from the British Government to the Japanese Government when trade was opened up by the British East India Company.
• Two of the remaining copies of the Magna Carta. One is still readable (If you read old english) but is missing the royal seal and the other still has the seal but is not in such good condition.
• Various example of Joseph Banks and other early naturalists drawings and sketches. They are still beautiful work.
• Some of the Beatles original song lyrics.
• Early editions of Shakespeare's works.

They have a good website showing some of the exhibit. I did a quick search of the internet to find more information. A lot of these documents have been scanned and digital copies are available to examine more closely.

I think that libraries and museum are having to compete with the web.