Sir Hans Sloane at The British Museum, London

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Sir Hans Sloane was a highly respected doctor born in 1660 in Killyleagh, Ireland. He studied medicine in London and France, driven by his passion for natural history. In 1689, Sloane established a successful medical practice at No. 3 Bloomsbury Place, where he treated numerous wealthy patients, including Queen Anne and Kings George I and II. As an innovative doctor, Sloane promoted various treatments, such as inoculation against smallpox, the use of quinine for malaria, and the health benefits of drinking chocolate mixed with milk. He became President of the College of Physicians in 1719 and succeeded Sir Isaac Newton as President of the Royal Society in 1727. Sloane's career as a collector began when he traveled to Jamaica as personal physician to the Duke of Albermarle in 1687. There, he collected over 800 species of plants and other live specimens to bring back to London. His collection grew rapidly through the acquisition of complete collections made by others, including William Charlton and James Petiver. Sloane's house became a hub for numerous visitors, including the famous composer Handel, who was known to have placed a buttered muffin on one of Sloane's rare books. In 1742, Sloane moved his collection to a manor house in Chelsea, where he lived until his death at age 93 in 1753. At the time of his passing, Sloane's collection consisted of over 71,000 objects, including natural history specimens, coins and medals, books, prints, manuscripts, and artifacts related to ancient customs. In his will, Sloane bequeathed the entire collection to King George II for the nation in exchange for £20,000 paid to his heirs. Parliament accepted the gift, and on June 7, 1753, an Act of Parliament established the British Museum, with Sloane's collection serving as its foundation.