Who designed the main facade of the British Museum?

Sir Robert Smirke designed the main facade of the British Museum.

Smirke, one of the leading architects of Britain’s Greek Revival, was invited to redesign the museum in 1821 while serving as an architect attached to the Office of Works. The core design dates from 1823, and construction proceeded in phases because Parliament provided funds annually and the museum had to remain operational. The project was completed over roughly 25 years.

The south facade is especially recognizable for its grand Greek Ionic colonnade. It contains 44 columns, each about 45 feet high, with an imposing central portico. Smirke drew inspiration from ancient Greek buildings, including the Erechtheion in Athens and temples at Priene and Teos.

Visitors sometimes confuse Smirke with architects associated with other major London landmarks, such as John Nash or William Chambers. Another nuance is that the British Museum’s later Reading Room and modern additions were designed by other architects; the quiz’s wording points specifically to Smirke’s principal building and south front.