The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology was the world’s first university museum. It was founded in 1678 when a building designed by Sir Christopher Wren was specially erected to house the collection of curiosities donated to Oxford University by Elias Ashmole. It included coins, books and zoological specimens, including the stuffed body of the last known Dodo in Europe, which unfortunately rotted away some time later!
The Old Ashmolean building eventually became too small for the growing collection and the building became the offices of the Oxford English Dictionary on Broad Street. The ‘new’ building dates back to 1845. Today the museum’s exhibits include collections by Elias Ashmole and John Tradescant, both father and son. There are also many archaeological specimens, one of the best collections of Pre-Raphaelite paintings, majolica pottery and English silver on display. The Ashmolean hosts the Griffin Institute for the advancement of Egyptology and consequently has an extensive collection of ancient Egyptian and Sudanese antiquities. The museum has continued to expand and now includes the Sackler Library, an excellent restaurant and a large gift shop.
The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology was the world’s first university museum. It was founded in 1678 when a building designed by Sir Christopher Wren was specially erected to house the collection of curiosities donated to Oxford University by Elias Ashmole. It included coins, books and zoological specimens, including the stuffed body of the last known Dodo in Europe, which unfortunately rotted away some time later! 
