Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum has a history almost as long as some of its exhibitions and artefacts. Established in 1682 when the wealthy antiquary Elias Ashmole gifted his collection to the University, it was Britain’s first public Museum. However, for most of the 20th century it was commonly regarded as a university institution.
There was an extensive refurbishment in 2009 – reopening to great acclaim and with a much more explicit public-facing exhibition, outreach and development programme. Specialising in art and archaeology with globally renowned collections ranging from ancient Egyptian artefacts to contemporary art, the collection has evolved considerably but with enduring founding principles: that knowledge of humanity spanning cultures and centuries is vital to society.
The Egyptian Galleries. Credit: Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford
John Sainsbury was on the Board of the Museum from 2003 to 2015 and was one of the drivers in its transformation to a space with public and community engagement at heart.
Without John’s interventions, leadership and support, the Museum may well have a very different outlook today. As a result, The Linbury Trust has awarded more than £18m to the Museum with two key projects of note. It was the biggest donor to the Museum’s 2009 redevelopment while, latterly, the Trust supported the Museum’s endowment fund. The gift of £5m was used as match-funding to draw in a similar amount from other funders; this proved greatly successful and was instrumental in underlining the Museum’s future.
Admission to the Ashmolean is free and there is a commitment to ensuring wider public access and community engagement, to ensure it will welcome visitors for centuries to come.
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