If we consider the Peabody Essex Museum as an art museum, it would be 
the oldest that I have listed so far.  I believe as Suzi Fonda has 
stated that Charleston Museum in Charleston, South Carolina, which 
bills itself as "America's First Museum" is the oldest operating museum 
in the country because it  was founded in 1773.

Sincerely,
Hugh


On May 4, 2005, at 5:50 PM, ljames, Lauren wrote:

> The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts is the oldest 
> continually
> operating museum in America.  The museum traces its founding to 1799 
> with the
> formation of the East India Marine Society.  It is now a museum of art,
> architecture, and culture and would classify itself as an art museum, 
> but has
> history museum roots.  See www.pem.org
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On 
>> Behalf
>> Of Hugh Genoways
>> Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2005 1:44 PM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Questions
>>
>> Dear Colleagues
>>
>> Questions about History of Museums
>>
>> We all have heard of Peale's museum in Philadelphia, the Charleston
>> Museum, Silliman's mineralogy collection at Yale, Academy of Natural
>> Sciences of Philadelphia, and a little later P. T Barnum's and Moses
>> Kimball's proprietary museums in New York and Boston, but I have some
>> questions about the early history of other museums and types of 
>> museums
>> in the United States.
>>
>> What was the first art museum in the U. S.?
>>
>> What is the longest operating art museum in the U. S. that is still
>> open?
>>
>> What was the first history museum in the U. S.?
>>
>> What is the longest operating history museum in the U. S. that is 
>> still
>> open?
>>
>> What was the first state historical society in the U. S.?
>>
>> What was the first historic house museum in the U. S.?  (Not the 
>> oldest
>> house that is now a museum, but the first to be operated as a museum)
>>
>> What is the longest operating historic house museum in the U. S. that
>> is still open?
>>
>> What was the first specialty museum in the U. S.?  What was its
>> specialty?
>>
>> What is the longest operating specialty museum in the U. S. that is
>> still open?  What was its specialty?
>>
>> What was the first sports museum in the U. S.?
>>
>> What is the longest operating sport museum in the U. S. that is still
>> open?
>>
>> What was the first living history museum in the U. S.?
>>
>> What is the longest operating living history museum in the U. S. that
>> is still open?
>>
>> What was the first botanical garden in the U. S.?
>>
>> What is the longest operating botanical garden in the U. S. that is
>> still open?
>>
>> What was the first arboretum in the U. S.?
>>
>> What is the longest operating arboretum in the U. S. that is still 
>> open?
>>
>> What was the first zoological garden in the U. S.?
>>
>> What is the longest operating zoological garden in the U. S. that is
>> still open?
>>
>> What was the first anthropology/archaeology museum in the U. S.?
>>
>> What is the longest operating anthropology/archaeology museum in the 
>> U.
>> S. that is still open?
>>
>> What was the first military museum in the U. S.?
>>
>> What is the longest operating military museum in the U. S. that is
>> still open?
>>
>> What was the first "hall of fame" museum in the U. S.?
>>
>> What is the longest operating "hall of fame" museum in the U. S. that
>> is still open?
>>
>> What was the first college/university museum in the U. S.?
>>
>> What is the longest operating college/university museum in the U. S.
>> that is still open?
>>
>> What was the first mineralogy museum in the U. S.?
>>
>> What is the longest operating mineralogy museum in the U. S. that is
>> still open?
>>
>> What was the first natural history museum in the U. S.?
>>
>> What is the longest operating natural history museum in the U. S. that
>> is still open?
>>
>> What was the first transportation museum in the U. S.?
>>
>> What is the longest operating transportation museum in the U. S. that
>> is still open?
>>
>> What was the first medical museum in the U. S.?
>>
>> What is the longest operating medical museum in the U. S. that is 
>> still
>> open?
>>
>> I am not certain what the person with the most correct answers will
>> receive, but it definitely will be something special!
>>
>> Actually, I ask these questions because I don't know the answers to
>> most of them.  It seems surprising to me that a profession that is so
>> much involved with history doesn't know much about its own history.  
>> Or
>> maybe I am the one that doesn't know these things.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>> Hugh
>>
>>
>> Hugh H. Genoways
>> Professor
>> W436 Nebraska Hall
>> University of Nebraska-Lincoln
>> Lincoln, NE 68588-0514
>>
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> . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by 
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> =========================================================
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>
> The Museum-L FAQ file is located at 
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> information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail 
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>
Hugh H. Genoways
Professor
W436 Nebraska Hall
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE 68588-0514

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