More re new British Museum exhibition zone

Guardian Unlimited

The British Museum is planning to build a £100m complex to house its blockbuster shows. The new 1,000 sq metre space would enable more people to see the kind of popular large-scale exhibitions the museum has held in recent years.

Demand easily outstripped the museum's capacity for its exhibitions on Persia and Michelangelo last year.

"For the Michelangelo we could have had three times as many visitors if we'd had space," said Neil MacGregor, the director of the museum. The museum regularly stayed open until midnight during the event. Despite the popularity of both shows, some visitors complained that the space was cramped and inadequate. "It is very limiting for sculpture, and for large crowds," said Mr MacGregor.