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Proceedings der the rector. Many (65 per cent) are open to the public, yet others (35 per cent) are closed. Some of the UoA Museums are more dynamic and stable, trying to secure external funding and establish bridges with society (see Table 1). On the other hand, there are museums that are more afected by this ‘crisis’ since they are 6 threatened with closure and their collections are packed in boxes. This diversity in the operation of UoA museums shows the absence of a coherent policy and uniform standards. We could argue that many of the challenges mentioned here stem from the current legislative and policy framework. Examining the history of legislation documents archived in the UoA, we can trace two important landmarks. The irst dates back to the temporary Internal Body of the University in 1836, which acknowledges the need for establishing 7 university collections that would assist in its mission. The second landmark is the ordinances in the Internal Body of 1932, when the irst seven university museums were established. 8 Far more recent is the 1999 Ministerial Decree concerning the operation of UoA museums. This decree provides more details in comparison to the afore- mentioned University ordinances with regard to the mission and purpose of UoA museums. Key founding principles are a) teaching purposes, b) the support of research activities, c) the encouragement of partnerships, and d) the dissemina- 9 tion of knowledge. We have to stress that this legislation concerns exclusively the operation of Athens University Museums and, even though in theory it provides them with a sense of purpose and identity, in practice no formal provision is made in order to ensure that these museums may become places dedicated to provid- ing learning and meaningful experiences to a wide range of visitors from diferent backgrounds, as opposed to university students and schoolchildren. However, an innovation introduced by UoA authorities during the academ- ic year 1997–98 regarding the way university museums and collections interact with each other was the establishment of a Special Committee titled ‘University Museums Committee’. This informal institution had an umbrella structure that 10 6 For example, the Museum of Hygiene and the Museum of Physical Science and Technology antic- ipate this problem. 7 The irst temporary Internal Body of the University in 1836 clearly states that, “The University in- tends to gather all necessary scientiic collections and other items that are useful to its function. All public collections, the catalogue of the School of Medicine, and the collections of the Societies of Medicine and Natural History shall be put at the University’s disposal. Furthermore, a separate building suitable for this purpose shall be constructed without delay” (‘Decree for the Establishment of the University’). 8 The irst seven museums that were established in the National and Kapodistrian University of Ath- ens were the Museum of Anthropology, the Museum of Zoology, the Museum of Mineralogy and Pe- trology, the Museum of Paleontology and Geology, the Botanical Museum, the Museum of Hygiene, and the Criminology Museum (Act no 5343 of 1932). 9 Minister of Education and Religious Afairs. 10 During that period (1997–98), the Rector of UOA, Konstantinos Demopoulos took the initiative to 243