WHAT ARE MUSEUMS FOR?

Dr Xa Sturgis speaks standing at a podium beside a large screen displaying an image of an ancient statue of the god Min

WHAT ARE MUSEUMS FOR? 

Watch: The Ashmolean’s Dr Xa Sturgis reflects on the evolving role and purpose of the museum

Published: 12 November 2025

 

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Dr Xa Sturgis, Director of the Ashmolean Museum, recently led a discussion titled ‘What are museums for? The Ashmolean past, present and future’ at the Yale Club in New York City.

Coinciding with the loan of the Ashmolean’s extraordinary ancient statue of the god Min to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Dr Sturgis’s talk explored the evolving role and purpose of the museum, from the creation of the Ashmolean – arguably the world’s oldest museum – to the challenges and opportunities facing cultural institutions today as they adapt to a changing world.

The Statue of Min is on display at the Met as part of the Divine Egypt exhibition, which runs until Monday 19 January 2026. The Oxford Alumni Association of New York will host an informal tour of the exhibition on Saturday 15 November. Please register here.

Watch a recording of Dr Sturgis’s talk below.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/wCWNvGzNC4c?si=qAD3Fdp2Itle0f4M

Learn more about the Ashmolean Museum and its exciting plans for the future.

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Photo credit: Kaddy Tsang Photography