For the early history of natural science museums, cabinets of natural 
curiosities, and the like, these two are essential:

Paula Findlen, Possessing Nature: Museums, collecting, and scientific 
culture in early modern Italy (U California Press, 1994).

Patrick Mauries, Cabinets of Curiosities (Thames and Hudson, 2002)--a 
spectacularly illustrated and designed book

Less directly focused on museums, but lots of wonderful relevant material:
  Brian Ogilvie, The Science of Describing: Natural History in 
Renaissance Europe (U Chicago Press,  2006)

In teaching a seminar last spring on "Public History and 
Enlightenment Science" at the University of Pennsylvania (mostly 
field trips to Franklin Tercentenary exhibitions), I found this 
celebration of the British Museum's 250th birthday invaluable:

Kim Sloan, ed., Enlightenment: Discovering the World in the 
Eighteenth Century  (British Museum/Smithsonian Books, 2003).

Thanks, John Simmons, for mentioning Wilfrid Blunt's classic 
biography of Linnaeus in your great list of references. Linnaeus 
helped the King and Queen of Sweden assemble natural history 
collections. I just discovered an 18th C English translation of 
Linnaeus's introduction to his catalogue of the museum of King Adolph 
Fredrik and can't resist sharing this passage comparing natural 
history museums to the Garden of Eden:

"...the chief enjoyment of the first man, in this garden or museum of 
delights, was to examine the admirable works of his Creator.

Among the luxuries therefore of the present age, the most pure and 
unmixed is that afforded by collections of natural productions. In 
them we behold offerings as it were from all the inhabitants of the 
earth; and the productions of the most distant shores of the world 
are presented to our sight and consideration....can any thing afford 
us a more innocent pleasure, a more noble or refined luxury, or one 
that charms us with greater variety?"

Carolus Linnaeus, Reflections on the study of nature [English 
translation by Sir James Edward Smith of the preface Musaeum Regis 
Adolphi Friderici], Dublin, 1786


Karen Reeds
Guest Curator, Linnaeus and America (Feb. 15-June 30, 2007)
American Swedish Historical Museum, Philadelphia
  http://www.americanswedish.org/linnaeus.html
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