Changes

====Early Developments====

</ref> Although some scholars claim the title of the first museum should be in the city of Ur, in the temple of Ennigaldi-Nanna, which did house ancient collections, this structure may date to a slightly later time than that of Nebuchadnezzar's displays.<ref> For more on early museums, see: Walhimer, Mark. 2015. Museums 101. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, pg. 6.</ref> During the Neo-Babylonian period (626-539 BC), there was interest in both the distant past, which by that time Mesopotamian urban complex societies were nearly 3000 years old, as well as capturing war booty from within the Empire as it expanded. King Nabonidus, in fact, commissioned the first known archaeological excavations at the time to uncover ancient remains from Ur.<ref>For more on Nabonidus' excavations, see: Schnapp, Alain, Lothar von Falkenhausen, Peter N. Miller, and Tim Murray, eds. 2013. World Antiquarianism: Comparative Perspectives. Issues & Debates. Los Angeles, California: Getty Research Institute, pg. 132.</ref> In essence, the concept of the museum as a display of the origin of a people as well as of its power was developed. Early museum collections included ancient tablets, statues, and religious relics that would have been seen as continuing to have important relevance. The importance and continuity of ancient religion, in fact, was another motivation to develop museums, in this case within temple complexes.

[[FileKing Nabonidus, in fact, commissioned the first known archaeological excavations at the time to uncover ancient remains from Ur.<ref>For more on Nabonidus' excavations, see:463174537 ac80e56a15 bSchnapp, Alain, Lothar von Falkenhausen, Peter N. Miller, and Tim Murray, eds.jpg|thumbnail|Figure 12013. <i>World Antiquarianism: Comparative Perspectives. Issues & Debates.</i> Los Angeles, California: Getty Research Institute, pg. 132.</ref> The so-called Lion idea or concept of Babylon is likely these early commissioned excavations was to be a basalt statue retrieve relics from the past that connected Babylonian civilization to the past, showing an unfished lion attacking its long history, and bringing objects of the gods back to the world. The uncovered objects were then placed in a manmuseum. The piece In essence, the concept of the museum as a display of the origin of a people as well as of its power was likely recovered in Syria developed. Early museum collections included ancient tablets, statues, and brought religious relics that would have been seen as continuing to Babylon have important relevance. The importance and continuity of ancient religion, in fact, was another motivation to be displayed develop museums, in its royal museumthis case within temple complexes.]]

====Origin of the Word====[[File:Ancientlibraryalex.jpg|thumbnail|left|Figure 2. An artist's reconstruction of the Musaeum.]]The origin of the word museum derives from the Musaeum that once stood in ancient Alexandria in Egypt from around 300 BC and lasted as an institution through the Roman period. This original structure once contained the famous library of Alexandria. While many ancient works, in particular writings, were collected in this institution, its core focus was on education and research.<ref>For more on the Musaeum and ancient Library at Alexandria, see: El-Abbadi, Mostafa. 1992. <i>The Life and Fate of the Ancient Library of Alexandria</i>. 2nd ed., rev. Paris: Unesco/UNDP.</ref>Lectures, presentations, and teaching were conducted here during the Ptolemaic and Roman eras, where the museum becomes associated with scholarship and not just a place to have old relics. In essence, it was an institution that became comparable to our modern concepts of universities, where the museum was a place of research. Therefore, museums, early in their conceptual history, became places of education and discovery, while not being simply places that housed ancient objects for the sake of the objects alone. Utilizing the knowledge of the past, including from very distant cultures, became one of the key missions of the Musaeum. The collections included objects from Assyria, Babylonia, ancient Egypt, Greece, and elsewhere. This is also similar in concept to our modern research museums that both display ancient objects from around the world but also conduct scientific research.

The origin ====Early Renaissance====After the Classical period, the idea of the word a museum derives from the Musaeum that once stood in seems to not be utilized very much, although studying ancient Alexandria scholarship continued in Egypt from around 300 BC and lasted as an institution through the Roman period. This original structure once contained Near East for many centuries long after the famous library fall of AlexandriaRome. While many ancient worksTherefore, in particular writingsthe past was still seen as a source of knowledge, were collected although we don't know much about formal museums. The two oldest continuous museums are found in this institutionRome, its core focus was on education the Capitoline and researchVatican Museums. Lectures, presentations, and teaching were conducted here during the Ptolemaic and The former was essentially a collection of Roman erassculptures gifted by Pope Sixtus IV. In essenceDiscovery of sculptures also inspired the Vatican museum, it as Pope Julius II was an institution that became comparable inspired by the discovery to our modern concepts of universitiespreserve the pieces in the Vatican's collections. Therefore<ref> For more on how Classical sculptors and their discovery spawned an interest in the past, including developing early museums became places of education in Rome, particularly Roman and research Greek history, see: Haskell, Francis, and not simply places that housed ancient objectsNicholas Penny, eds. 1982. Utilizing <i>Taste and the knowledge Antique: The Lure of the pastClassical Sculpture 1500 - 1900</i>. 2. print., including from very distant cultures, became one of (with corrections). New Haven London: Yale Univ. Press.</ref> This interest spawns an interest in the key missions Classics in general and a rebirth of ideas and focus on the Musaeum. This is similar in concept to our modern research museums that both display ancient objects but also conduct scientific researchpre-Christian past.

[[FileSoon, objects began to be collected not just by officials or religious figures but by wealthy individuals. By the 16th century, a new era began, where large collections of artifacts were now collected for their sake, as interest in the past continued. In Europe, the so-called cabinets of curiosities began to be made, which were sometimes large private collections of ancient artifacts, fossils, or other remains that sparked interest in the past.<ref> For more on the so-called cabinets of curiosities popular in Rennaisance and early modern Europe, see:AncientlibraryalexMauriès, Patrick.jpg|thumbnail|Figure 22011. An artist's reconstruction <i>Cabinets of Curiosities</i>. New York: Thames & Hudson.</ref> The interest in the past continued as the Renaissance gave way to the MusaeumAge of Enlightenment, which now began scientific interests as well as simple curiosity to collect.]]

==Early Renaissance==Birth of Modern Museums====By the 18th century, scientific progress and ever increasing knowledge about the world increased interest in creating large public galleries. Furthermore, similar to the interests of the Babylonian Empire, the new empires of the world, in particular Britain and later France in the late 18th century, began to see the collection of artifacts and objects as a way to display power and dominance in the globe. The British Museum was opened based on the principal it would be accessible to the public, although mostly it was the privy of the middle and upper classes, and it began to display the wonders of Britain's every increasing dominance and thus by extension reflect British superiority to the world.<ref>For more on how large national museums played a role in colonialism, see: Aronsson, Peter, and Gabriella Elgenius, eds. 2014. <i>National Museums and Nation-Building in Europe, 1750-2010: Mobilization and Legitimacy, Continuity and Change</i>. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.</ref>

The two oldest continuous museums are found in RomeThis trend continued into the 19th century, where the Capitoline Louvre and Vatican Museums. The former was essentially British Museum began a collection type of Roman sculptures gifted by Pope Sixtus IVcompetition to collect the best objects from natural and ancient history to show their respective state's prowess on the world stage. Discovery Soon, with the increasing collections, museums began to be divided into different types of sculptures also inspired the Vatican museummuseums, such as Pope Julius II natural history and archaeology. However, it was inspired only by the discovery late 19th century were museums beginning to preserve the pieces become more scientific in developing disciplines in studying ancient objects. With the Vatican's collections. This interest spawns an interest in advances made by Charles Darwin on the Classics in general Theory of Evolution and archaeology becoming a rebirth of ideas more modern discipline led by Augustus Pitt-Rivers and focus on the pre-Christian past. Soon, Flinders Petrie do we see museums now retrieving objects began to be collected not just by officials or religious figures but by wealth individualswith more care. By the 16th century, a new era began, where large The collections of artefacts were also now collected became more studied for their sake, as interest in greater insight into knowledge about the deep past continued. In Europe, including the sonatural and human-called cabinets made world.<ref>For more on the history of archaeology and how the Theory of curiosities began to be Evolution and excavators such as Pitt-Rivers madeit a well developed discipline, which were sometimes large private collections of ancient artifactssee: Renfrew, fossilsColin, or other remains that sparked interest in the pastand Paul G. Bahn. 2008. The interest in the past continued as the Renaissance gave way to the Age of Enlightenment<i>Archaeology: Theories, which now began scientific interests as well as simple curiosity to collectMethods and Practice</i>. 5th ed. London: Thames & Hudson.</ref>

==Birth of Modern Museums==Conclusion==== By the 18th century, scientific progress and ever increasing knowledge about the world increased interest in creating large public galleriesThe development of museums was not a continuous path. Furthermore, similar to the interests of the Babylonian Empire, the new empires of the world, After initial development in particular Britain, began to see the collection of artifacts ancient and objects classical worlds, at places such as a way to display power Babylon and dominance in the globe. The British Museum was opened based on the principal it would be accessible to the public, although mostly it was the privy of the middle and upper classesAlexandria, and it began to display took the wonders of Britian's every increasing dominance. This continued into the 19th century, where the Louvre and British Museum began a type of competition to collect the best objects from natural and ancient history. Soon, with the increasing collections, museums began to be divided into different types of museums, such as natural history and archaeologyRenaissance before interest in them begins again. However, it was only by in the late 19th century were do we see museums beginning to become becoming more scientific and applying scientific principles in developing disciplines in studying ancient their collection of objectsand their study.<div class="portal" style="width:85%;">====Related DailyHistory. With org Articles====*[[What was the advances made by Charles Darwin on dominant medical sect in the Theory United States during the 19th Century?]]*[[How did illegal abortions spur the push for medical licensing in the 19th Century?]]*[[Social History of Evolution and archaeology becoming a more modern discipline led by Augustus Pitt-Rivers and Flinders Petrie do we see museums now retrieving objects American Medicine Top Ten Booklist]]*[[Causes of World War II Top Ten Booklist]]*[[Gilded Age/Progressive Era History Top Ten Booklist]]*[[Nature's Path: Interview with more care. The collections also now became more studied for greater insight into knowledge about the deep past, including the natural and human-made worldSusan E.Cayleff]]</div>

====References====

[[Category: Ancient History]] [[Category:Museum Art History]][[Category:Bronze Age History]]