In this book (published in conjunction with the Museum's centenary celebrations) Mark Girouard traces the history of the building from its origins in discussions between Gladstone and Richard Owen (later the first director) in 1861, to its completion in 1881. The story is a tale of scholarly ambition, political intrigue and ingenious technical and artistic solutions to architectural and structural problems, and it is told with the discrimination and wit that have made Girouard's previous books so successful and highly regarded.