Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford

The Ashmolean is the University of Oxford's museum of art and archaeology, founded in 1683 and regarded as Britain's first public museum. Its world-famous collections span half a million years of human history, from Egyptian mummies and classical antiquities to Eastern and Western art and contemporary works. The museum offers free admission, daily gallery tours, a rolling programme of major exhibitions, an on-site Rooftop Restaurant and café, and a research, learning and membership programme.