Others have called it the British Museum’s ‘porn room’, but the title it was originally given is a little more salubrious: the Secretum. Opened in 1865, following the publication of the Obscene Publications Act (1857), the Secretum contained around 200 objects, labeled (possibly with the curator’s tongue firmly in cheek?) as ‘abominable monuments to human licentiousness’. Anyone who wanted to get in for an afternoon of fun and games and serious study required a special permit. Strictly for gentlemen only, one needed to demonstrate ‘mature years and sound morals’ to qualify. Details on how this was decided have not been recorded…
Related Facts
Did you Know? Disneyland was originally opened on Sunday with total of 18 attractions.
41% of the British population sleep in the foetal position
Color is essential.
Until the arrival of Christianity, writing was uncommon among the Vikings.
Fun Fact! Before they married, Sridevi reportedly tied a Rakhi to Boney Kapoor.
If you have diabetes, be careful of injections.
The Female Funnel-Web is one of the world’s most deadly spiders!
Buffy was Yoda's original name.
The International Book Fair in Kolkata
Most streamed track in one week by a female artist (USA)
Which Animal Class Does a Fairyfly Belong In?
One of Buddha's incisors is kept in a temple in Kandy.
Make your own clip-in extensions clip-ins at home.
Homi J Bhabha redirected India's nuclear development.
Did you Know? Lex Luthor does not believe that Clark Kent is a superman.
Bali is part of the 'Coral Triangle.'
When did it start? And why?
A 155-year-old mousetrap successfully caught a mouse in 2016.
Bundl Technologies is the parent holding company for Swiggy
Female lobsters are active participants who make the first move.
How did the Gala become so glamorous?
Fun Fact! Clea and Doctor Strange: The Power Couple
World War I saw pioneering advancement in modern medicine
Did you Know? Some of the rocks of Black sea are at least 540 million years old
According to Egyptian documents, copper possesses antimicrobial qualities.