The Ashmolean Museum: Britain's First Museum

Published to mark the re-opening of the Ashmolean Museum in November 2009, this book celebrates the remarkable transformation of the oldest public museum in England. The new building has doubled the display space available and enabled us to display our archaeological, oriental and numismatic collections to their best advantage. The introduction sets out the history of the Museum from its beginnings as the collection of the Tradescant family to the present day, placing the new building in the context of more than 300 years of history, and discussing the architecture of the Museum. The rationale behind the new display strategy is also explained; stressing the contacts and exchanges of influence between cultures represented in the collections. 100 of our most interesting objects are pictured in full colour with extensive captions explaining their importance.