XJF441269 The Sixth Reading Room of The British Museum, published in \'London Interiors\', 1841 (engraving) by Shepherd, Thomas Hosmer (1792-1864) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Sixth Reading Room was designed by the architect Sir Robert Smirke (1780-1867) and was completed in 1838; The room stored more than 10,000 books and there was space for 168 people to read at 24 tables; It was used as a reading room until 1857 was the famous round, domed reading room was opened; These two rooms have now been converted into the Mexican Gallery and the Chase Manhattan Gallery of North American Art; The British Museum\'s library became the British Library in 1973;); English, out of copyright.