LONDON (AFP) — The British Museum overtook the Tate Modern art gallery to become the country's most popular cultural attraction in 2007, reports said Wednesday.
Six-million visitors poured through the British Museum to gaze at priceless artefacts such as the Rosetta Stone, Elgin Marbles and the Sutton Hoo ceremonial helmet.
The museum -- which had a million more visitors than in 2006 -- was even forced to shut its gates during Chinese New Year after 35,000 people turned up while 850,000 visitors bought tickets to catch a glimpse of an exhibition of terracotta warriors.
British Museum director Neil MacGregor said: "The opportunities and challenges for a world collection in London are limitless - greater than anywhere else in the world.
"There are very few other places, if anywhere, that you can look at 20th century American prints, and ancient Chinese art, and statues of Hadrian, in one building. And the public museums of London have always been free to everyone ," he added.
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