Owen Hopkins is an architectural writer, historian and curator. He is Director of the Farrell Centre at Newcastle University. Previously he was Senior Curator at Sir John Soane’s Museum and before that Architecture Programme Curator at the Royal Academy of Arts. He has curated numerous exhibitions, and is the author or editor of a number of books. Owen is a frequent commentator on architecture in the press and has appeared on national TV and radio.

As the title suggests, this book is a history of the museum from its origins in the Renaissance, through the emergence of the modern museum, to the present.

Visited by millions around the world every year, discover the untold story of the history of the institution of the museum, one of mankind’s most essential creations.

Using examples of the greatest cultural institutions to shape the narrative, this book outlines the history of the museum movement, tracking the evolution from princely collections in Europe and the Enlightenment’s classically inspired temples of curiosities, via the public museums of the late nineteenth century, on to today’s global era of iconic buildings designed by the world’s leading architects.

Over the course of five chapters filled with stunning imagery that highlights the beauty of these venerated buildings, the origins of key institutions are revealed, including:

• Louvre
• Metropolitan Museum of Art
• British Museum
• Tate Modern
• Hermitage
• Guggenheim
• Smithsonian Institute
• Acropolis Museum

Also outlined are the motivations of the architects, curators and patrons who have shaped how we experience the modern museum, a cast that includes names such as King George II, Napoleon, Henry Clay Frick, Peggy Guggenheim, Andrew Carnegie, Alfred Barr, Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, Frank Gehry, Richard Rogers, Nicholas Serota and Zaha Hadid.

By examining how these venues became intrinsic to our shared cultural experience, analysing the changing roles they play in society and questioning what the future holds in a digital age, this book is for anyone who has stood in awe at the spectacle of a museum.

If you would like a copy, it is being sold on Amazon and also at Quarto.com with impressive reviews.

For more information about Owen Hopkins and other books visit his website