The British Museum is the oldest museums in the world. Where else can you see some of the greatest treasures of all time under one roof？ Here you can see at first hand The Elgin Marbles， The Portland Vase， The Lewis Chessmen， The Sutton Hoo Treasure， to name only a few of the wondrouswondrous adj.令人惊奇的， 非常的 collections awaiting you. You will be fascinated by the Egyptian Mummies， and inspired by the superb exhibition of prints and drawings which changes several times a year. Allow plenty of time for your visit - the British Museum is a vast storehouse of treasures. Better still， why not visit several times， concentrating on just one exhibit each time？
In 1753 the Government of the day bought the collection of Sir Hans Sloan， a wealthy Doctor who practised in Chelsea. The collection consisted of over 80，000 curios including fossilsfossil n.化石， 僵化的事物 adj.化石的， 陈腐的， 守旧的， plants， coins， medals and prints. This unlikely assortmentassortment n.分类 formed the beginning of what has become certainly the biggest， and probably one of the best museum collections in the world. An act of Parliament established the British Museum as the world，s first public museum. The Cottonian Library formed by the Harleys， Earls of Oxford， was immediately added to the collection. In 1757 George II presented The Royal Library to the museum. In 1823 George III conferred on the museum the right to a copy of every book printed. This right continues to the present day.
By this time， with the acquisition of enormous quantities of antiquities， artefacts， discoveries from all over the world and many bequests， it became apparent that more space to house the ever growing collection was essential. In 1823 Robert and Sydney Smith submitted their designs for the new purpose built British Museum. The work was carried out over the next thirty years and what emerged was one of London，s most aweinspiring buildings. Designed in the Greek revival style， this magnificent building has an Ionic colonnadecolonnade n.柱廊 and portico complete with pediment frieze. By the 1850，s the site included The Great Court， in the middle of which was built the Round Reading Room， surmounted by one of the largest domes in the world. In spite of the expansion， space once again proved to be a problem and a new home was found for the Natural History Collection； this was transferred to South Kensington in the 1880，s； and is now known as the Natural History Museum.
Another major change to the museum took place when it was decided to remove the British Library to new purpose built premises at St. Pancras. This enormous undertaking begun in the 1970，s was not completed until 1998.
Today， the British Museum is home to no less than six and a half million objects and has ninety four permanent and temporarytemporary adj.暂时的， 临时的， 临时性 exhibition galleries. An Education Department provides a wide range of services for adults and children. Other departments are Coins and Medals， Egyptian Antiquities， Ethnography， Greek and Roman Antiquities， Japanese Art， Medieval and Later Art， Orientaloriental n.东方人(尤指中国人和日本人) adj.东方诸国的， 亚洲的， 东方的， (珍珠等)最优质的 Antiquities， PreHistoric and RomanoBritish Antiquities， Prints and Drawings， and Western Asiatic Antiquities.
The Tower Bridge
伦敦塔桥
伦敦塔桥是位于英国伦敦横跨泰晤士河的一座桥，因为它在伦敦塔附近而得名，它有时也被误称为“伦敦桥”，但实际上真正的伦敦桥位于它的上游。
塔桥与伦敦塔采用一致的哥特式风格，已有一个多世纪的历史。桥内的电力设计可使桥面打开，使过往的大船顺利过。现在伦敦桥成为泰晤士河上绚丽的一景，塔桥本身也成为欣赏泰晤士河风光的好去处。
此桥完工于1894年，具有维多利亚时期的独特风雅气质。当轮船还作为重要交通工具的时候，一天之中桥身不得不起落过50次之多。不过，现在一周也就一、两次，运气好才能有幸一睹其风采。桥上塔内展示有此桥的结构及伦敦市内各桥梁的历史。上层的步行桥廊均是玻璃窗，可凭眺伦敦美景。此外，在对岸的动力室里，公开展示着过去的水压式动力机械与现在正使用的电动式机械装置。
19世纪下半叶，随着伦敦经济的发展城市东部越来越紧要地需要一座横跨泰晤士河的桥梁。但这座桥不能是传统的桥，因为当时的码头位于伦敦桥和伦敦塔之间，假如新桥太低的话船就无法开到码头了。
1876年一个特别委员会成立来讨论这个过河问题的解决方案。它开始了一个方案设计竞赛，一共收到了50个不同的方案。但此后的讨论却拖延了许多时间和导致了很多激烈的辩论，最后这个委员会于1884年决定采用霍拉斯·琼斯的方案。
琼斯的设计是一座244米长的开启桥，桥有两个桥塔，每个塔高65米。桥的中部长61米，分为两扇，每扇可以竖起到83度来让河流交通通过。这两扇桥段各重上千吨，它们的轴位于它们的重心上来减小它们起升时所需要的力，它们可以在一分钟内升起。一开始这个升降装置是液压的，为此它有6个水库来产生高压水。蒸汽机把水从水库泵入液压装置。现在桥是用电动机来升降的，但过去的蒸汽机机构依然保留可供参观。
伦敦塔桥的两个桥塔之间有一条高的人行路，这条路后来获得了一个非常不好的名声，因为那里聚集了许多妓女和小偷，因此它于1910年被关闭。后来它重新被开放供游人观赏。在桥塔内有一个博物馆，其中展览桥的图像、过去使用的蒸汽机等。
虽然现在水上交通比过去减少了许多，但水上交通依然比公路交通有优先权。1997年这个规则几乎导致了一场外交事件，由于伦敦塔桥意外地打开，当时的美国总统比尔·克林顿的座车不得不在桥前停下等候。
伦敦塔桥几乎就在伦敦塔地铁上。伦敦塔地铁是1870年开始运行的，它是世界上最老的地铁，在伦敦塔桥开放前，它是最短的渡河路径。
The Tower Bridge， named after its two impressive towers， is one of London，s best known landmarks. This Victorian Bridge is now more than 100 years old. Designed by Wolfe Barry and Horace Jones， and completed in 1894， the middle of the bridge can be raised to permitpermit n.通行证， 许可证， 执照 v.许可， 允许， 准许 large vessels to pass the Tower Bridge. It used to be raised about 50 times a day， but nowadays it is only raised 4 to 5 times a week.
The bridge is 60 meters (197 ft) long and its towers rise to a height of 43 meters. From the top of the towers， you have a great view on the center of London. You can also visit the inside of the tower， where you can observe the original mechanismmechanism n.机械装置， 机构， 机制 used to raise the bridge.
At the Tower Bridge Exhibition you can enjoy breathtaking views from the highlevel Walkways and learn about the history of the Bridge and how it was built. You can then visit the Victorian Engine Rooms， home to the original steam engines that used to power the Bridge.
Tower Bridge Walkways have specially designed windows， giving visitors a unique opportunity to take photos of the views without them being obscured by glass.
Tower Bridge also houses three exquisite， stunning and unique venues， which are ideal for all styles of Corporate Hospitality and Private events， including Weddings and commitmentcommitment n.委托事项， 许诺， 承担义务 ceremonies.
Tower Bridge Exhibition is fully accessable and has produced a document called “Access for All”， which provides information on services available at the Exhibition.
Construction
