Musaeum of Alexandria

• The Museaeum of Alexandria was a complex attached to the Great Library of Alexandria (3rd century BCE-391 CE).
• It functioned like a modern Science University and was an Institution which gathered the top scientific Scholars of the Greek speaking World.

Description

• The Musaeum was established by Ptolemy I Soter, Ruler of Egypt between 323-283 BCE.
• Over 1,000 Scholars lived and worked in the Musaeum at any given period.
• Both Staff and Scholars received a salary which was Tax free, along with free accommodation, meals and servants.

Notable scholars

• Scholars who are known to have studied at the Musaeum:
  • Archimedes, Aristarchus of Samos, Callimachus, Erasistratus, Eratosthenes, Euclid, Hipparchus, Hero of Alexandria.

Under the Roman Empire

• Strabo describes the Musaeum as having a communal dining hall for use by all the scholars, living quarters, private study rooms, lecture halls, theatres and gardens. A Priest was in charge of the Musaeum appointed by the Roman Emperor.
• 216 CE the Musaeum was closed by Caracalla (198-217 CE), because it had been transferred to the Serapeum.

The new Bibliotheca Alxandrina, Alexandria