About Us

Welcome to the Ashmolean, the University of Oxford’s museum of art and archaeology. Since 1683 we’ve been fuelling imaginations and enriching lives. We’re Britain’s first public museum, home to half a million years of human history and creativity, from ancient Egyptian mummies to modern art, and much more. Our world-class collections, teaching and research aim to share people’s stories across cultures and through time. 

The Ashmolean’s collections are extraordinarily diverse, representing most of the world’s great civilisations, with objects dating from 500,000 BC to the present day. Among many riches we have the world’s greatest collection of Raphael drawings, the most important collection of Egyptian pre-Dynastic sculpture and ceramics outside Cairo, the only great Minoan collection in Britain, outstanding Anglo-Saxon treasures, and the foremost collection of modern Chinese painting in the Western world.

Situated in the heart Oxford, one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, we offer something for everyone, bringing inspiration to curious minds. Discover thousands more objects and artworks with our online collections: 
http://collections.ashmolean.org/

Every purchase supports the Ashmolean.
Inspiring minds, since 1683