The British Museum Archive is a unique record of the Museum’s activities since it was founded in 1753. Here, archivist Francesca Hillier reveals her 14 favourite items and the incredible stories they tell about the Museum, the history of the collection, and the people who worked here.

To mark the Great Court’s 20th birthday, we’ve rounded up everything you ever wanted to know about this iconic space – from famous faces who have passed through to how many blue whales would make up the weight of the roof.

In the latest in our series on the Museum’s history, Archivist Francesca Hillier takes a look at the iconic Round Reading Room at the centre of the Bloomsbury building.