The chest is made of solid oak and that includes the lid. I wanted a chest that you did not have to bend down to get into or move to sweep under. The round lid is to deter people from piling junk on top of this lovely chest. It was constructed at Canadian Forces Station Alert. The worlds most northerly inhabited place. It is 4,400 kilometers north of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Inside the chest is a full width jewerly box that cantilevers into the lid when opened.