I cannot remember details - I am sure someone will know - of an excavation in Mesopotamia that found a building with 'old' sculptue accompanied by 'labels'. I have just moved house, so my books are currently packed ..... David In article <[log in to unmask]>, Giles Hudson <[log in to unmask]> writes >The Old Ashmolean Building on Broad Street in Oxford claims to be the >"oldest surviving purpose-built museum building in the world". The >building was built in 1683 for the museum of Elias Ashmole, which was >open to the public. > >The claim could be that the building is the "oldest purpose-built museum >building in the world" were it not for the museum in the library of >Alexandria. But this no longer survives, and many not qualify as a >'public museum' anyway. > >Clearly there are many museums around now that are in buildings that >were built before 1683, but none of these were originally built to be >museums; they have since been converted to that purpose. Other buildings >may have been built to house private collections, but none were built >expressly to be public museums. > >Does anyone dispute these claims? > >Quizically, > >Giles Hudson, >Curatorial Assistant, >Museum of the History of Science, >Old Ashmolean Building, >Oxford. David Dawson email: [log in to unmask] - - - - - - - Outreach Manager, Museum Documentation Association 67 Spring Street, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, OX7 5NN : telephone 01608 645576 From 26 Sept address will be - 1 Hitchman Drive, Chipping Norton, OX7 5BG MAIN MDA OFFICE - Jupiter House, Station Road, Cambridge, CB1 2JD Tel: (+44) 1223 315760 Fax: (+44) 1223 362521 MDA WEB SITE - http://www.open.gov.uk/mdocassn/index.htm