Ismaili.NET - Heritage F.I.E.L.D.

The hopes of one of the world's richest men to build a museum on one of London's most prized sites suffered a blow yesterday when the site owner said it would prefer to sell to the NHS.
The Aga Khan had selected Block Nine, a disused Victorian hospital building on the Thames opposite the Houses of Parliament, to house the largest collection of Islamic art in the English-speaking world.

Boasting some of the finest examples of Middle Eastern painting over the centuries, the museum would be the latest multimillion-pound addition to the string of cultural complexes lining the South Bank.

Until last month, the chances of the billionaire, known for his horse racing empire, securing his goal looked high. Now, faced with losing the site, the fear is that he might take his philanthropy abroad.

In an effort to guarantee a sale, the Aga Khan's charitable foundation has tabled a bid of