After Hours

Bank of England celebrates 325th birthday by opening the vaults

Central bank's museum celebrates with an interesting and surprisingly candid exhibit

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Photo: Justin Piperger

The Bank of England celebrated its 325th birthday on July 27. But instead of the usual cake and bubbly, its in-house museum has curated a celebratory display of 325 handpicked objects, each marking a year of the institution’s life.

A 1695 plate with a portrait of King William III, who was on the throne when the central bank was founded, is the first item on show; the last is a prototype bird feeder made from recycled banknotes made in 2018.

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