BRITISH MUSEUM TO RECEIVE £25 MILLION DONATION

THE BRITISH MUSEUM SAYS IT WILL BE RECEIVING A £25 MILLION DONATION FROM JOHN SAINSBURY, THE FORMER CHAIRMAN OF BRITAIN'S ICONIC SUPERMARKET CHAIN SAINSBURY. THE DONATION IS ONE OF THE LARGEST GIFTS TO THE ARTS IN RECENT DECADES AND WILL HELP THE WORLD-RENOWNED LONDON INSTITUTION TO FUND AN EXTENSION AND PRESERVE ITS STUNNING COLLECTION OF ART WORKS AND ANCIENT TREASURES. THE DONATION ALSO COMES AT A TIME OF FINANCIAL UNCERTAINTY FOR BRITISH CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS, WHICH ARE FACING DEEP CUTS IN PUBLIC FUNDING AS THE NEW GOVERNMENT WORKS TO BALANCE THE COUNTRY'S BUDGET. THE BRITISH MUSEUM RECEIVES AN ESTIMATED 5 MILLION VISITORS A YEAR. ITS COLLECTION INCLUDES THE ROSETTA STONE, THE LEWIS CHESSMEN AND THE ELGIN MARBLES.