For all curious and studious persons

Last night to the British Museum to hear Neil MacGregor, director, deliver a lecture to mark its 250th anniversary. This event was free: simply a question of knowing it was on and applying for tickets, which bore the legend "For all curious and studious persons".

The museum was established to be socially improving, ministers of the 1750s being as worried about loutishness as they are now, and was the first organisation in the world to be funded by a government though controlled by trustees. It still is, though the model was taken up again much later when the BBC was established and would certainly have helped to shape the view of Tim Berners-Lee when free access for the internet was being thought up.

The gist of the talk is that the BM is both world lending library and private collection to be consulted by anyone. Cor blimey. A really exhilarating experience.