Oxford University's Ashmolean Museum is the oldest public museum in Britain, dating to 1678. The core of its collection is a number of curiosities collected by two 17th century London antiquarians, a father and son both called John Tradescant. The Tradescant collection was purchased by the scholar Elias Ashmole, who donated the treasures to Oxford University. The University opted to display these treasures to the general public, and they were first displayed in a building on Broad Street, next to...