A brief history of museums

Museums didn't suddenly spring into being, but evolved over time.
The basic nature of a museum; its educational purpose based on the collecting and preserving of objects has long been established, and won't be changing in the foreseeable future, but todays professional museum is different from its ancestors.

Two related natural tendencys of people which are universal and timeless is the desire to collect, and to show off these objects.
Once a collection exists, the common tendency of the owner is to have other people see and admire it. This, then, creates museums.
Notable collections in the past have belonged to wealthy and powerful individuals.

The museum of Alexandria was essentially like those of today.
Alexandria was a greek city founded by Alexander for the administration of conquered Egypt.
In about 209BC a centre of learning dedicated to the muses was established (hence museum)