Alexandrian Museum
ancient institution, Alexandria, Egypt
Alternative Titles:
House of the Muses, Mouseion, Museum, Museum of Alexandria
Alexandrian Museum, also called the Museum, or Museum of Alexandria, Greek Mouseion (“Seat of the Muses”), ancient centre of classical learning at Alexandria in Egypt. A research institute that was especially noted for its scientific and literary scholarship, the Alexandrian Museum was built near the royal palace about 280 bc by Ptolemy I Soter (reigned 323–285/283 bc). The best surviving description of the museum is by the Greek geographer and historian Strabo, who mentions that it was a large complex of buildings and gardens with richly decorated lecture and banquet halls linked by porticos, or colonnaded walks. It was organized …(100 of 161 words)