Thomas Bruce , 7th Earl of Elgin took the some of the sculptures , now called the Elgin Marbles , from the Parthenon in 1759 . In 1806 , Thomas Bruce , 7th Earl of Elgin removed some of the surviving sculptures , with the Ottoman Turks ' permission . These sculptures , now known as the Elgin Marbles or the Parthenon Marbles , were sold in 1816 to the British Museum in London , where they are now displayed .