Museum History
WHS containing locations that have been important in international museum history.
Connected Sites
| Site | Rationale | Link |
| Florence | Uffizi: also one of the oldest city museums (together with Statuario Pubblico in Venice); since 1765 open to the public as one of the first modern museums | |
| Island of Saint-Louis | "The first museum of the industry, ethnography, and history of West Africa was opened in Saint-Louis on 15 March 1864." (AB ev) | |
| Mantua and Sabbioneta | Mantua: Palazzo Ducala, studiolo of Isabella d?Este, one of the first orientated outwards, to the visitor & symbol of the continuity of the d?Este dynasty | |
| Museumsinsel (Museum Island) | Alte Museum (prototype of art museum), Neue Museum (prototype of (cultural) history museum), both examples of the Bildungs-ideal | |
| Paris, Banks of the Seine | During the French Revolution (1793), the National Assembly decreed that the Louvre should be used as a museum, to display the nation's masterpieces. | |
| Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro | Prado Museum: "The royal museum, which would soon become known as the National Museum of Painting and Sculpture, and subsequently the Museo Nacional del Prado, opened to the public for the first time in November 1819. It was created with the double aim of showing the works of art belonging to the Spanish Crown and to demonstrate to the rest of Europe that Spanish art was of equal merit to any other national school." and "It is widely considered to house one of the world's finest collections of European art, dating from the 12th century to the early 20th century, based on the former Spanish royal collection, and the single best collection of Spanish art." (wiki) | |
| Rome | Musei capitolini - "The Musei Capitolini, a peerless and precious ancient-art collection, are traditionally viewed as the world's oldest public museum. In 1471 pope Sixtus IV 'donated" to the Roman People a group of ancient artefacts that had previously been housed in the Lateran, amongst which are the She-Wolf, the city's own symbol, the colossal head of Constantine with hand and globe, the Spinarius and the Camillus." | |
| St. Petersburg | Kunstkamera (1718-1734), one of the earliest buildings constructed for use as a museum (by Peter the Great, encyclopedic collection/ cabinet of curiosities) | |
| Vatican City | Belvedere ? early 16th century, to present large classical sculptures in courtyards and gardens (designed by Donato Bramante) | |
| Venice and its Lagoon | Statuario Pubblico was one of the oldest city museums established by a government for propaganda causes and to educate its people | |
| Vienna | In 1776 Maria Theresia and her son, Emperor Joseph II decided to transfer the k.k. Gemäldegalerie (Imperial Picture Gallery) from the Imperial Stables - a part of the city's Hofburg Imperial Palace - to the Upper Belvedere. Inspired by the idea of enlightened absolutism, the intention was to make the imperial collection accessible to the general public. The gallery opened five years later, making it one of the first public museums in the world |
Suggestions?
Do you know of another WHS we could connect to Museum History?
A connection should:
- Not be "self evident"
- Link at least 3 different sites
- Not duplicate or merely subdivide the "Category" assignment already identified on this site.
- Add some knowledge or insight (whether significant or trivial!) about WHS for the users of this site
- Be explained, with reference to a source