Oxford Museum Ashmolin - the oldest in Britain - was faced with a shortage of funds for reconstruction, which should be completed in November this year

In December of last year Britain's oldest museum - founded in 1683 Oxford Museum Eshmolin year - was closed for reconstruction . This fall, in November, plans to open a new building designed by architect Rick Matera (Rick Mather), through which the exhibition area must be increased two-fold. However, for the project museum will have to work hard. The whole blame lack of funding. Total project cost amounts to 61 million pounds, but still managed to collect only 45. Thus, lacking even a quarter of the required amount.

When the new building just started to build, mostly private sponsor construction called Lord John Seynsberi of Preston Kendover (John Sainsbury of Preston Candover). Through the Linbury Trust Fund, he was to pass about 10 million pounds by paying this amount in installments each year. According to statements of the Fund until April 2008 he was listed for around 6 million. If the Lord Seynsberi pass on the full amount of planning, the Eshmolin will be the largest private donation in the UK for a museum outside London.

15 million pounds to build a promised Fund Heritage Lottery Fund, which uses the proceeds of national lottery, to preserve the cultural heritage of the country. Another 2 million are received in the Muslim parts of the exposition of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud (Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud). Among the major sponsors and a further two funds: Wolfson Foundation and the Garfield Foundation.

At the moment, construction is almost completed, and at the end of April to begin work on the creation of the museum collection of the new exhibition entitled «Crossing cultures - the intersection of time».

material produced Catherine Onuchin

Sources: theartnewspaper.com , artinvestment.ru