Many people have the hobby of collecting things, e.g. stamps, postcards or antiques. In the 18th and 19th centuries, (wealth) people travelled and collected plants, historical objects and works of art. They kept their collection at home until it got too big until they died, and then it was given to a museum. The 80,000 objects collected by Sir Hans Sloane, for example, (form) the core collection of the British Museum opened in 1759.
The parts of a museum open to the public (call) galleries or rooms. Often, only a small part of a museum's collection (be) on display. Most of it is stored away or used for research.
Many museums are lively places and they attract a lot of visitors. As well as looking at exhibits, visitors can play with computer simulations (模拟) and imagine (they) living at a different time in history or (walk)through a rainforest. At the Jorvik Centre in York, the city's Viking settlement is recreated, and people experience the sights, sounds and smells of the old town. Historical (accurate) is important but so is entertainment. Museums must compete people's spare time and money with other amusements. Most museums also welcome school groups and arrange special activities for children.
