Quizeum Season 1 Episode 1 The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

Quizeum is a British TV show that explores the history and cultural significance of various museums and their collections through a quiz competition format. In season 1, episode 1, titled "The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford," viewers are taken on a virtual tour of one of the oldest museums in the world.

The Ashmolean Museum, founded in 1683, houses a collection of art and archaeology from across the continents, with over 7 million objects. The episode begins with the host, Griff Rhys Jones, introducing the concept of the show to the audience. He explains that each episode will feature two teams of contestants, consisting of three museum enthusiasts each, competing against each other in a quiz based on the museum they are visiting.

The teams for this episode are "The Diggers," made up of three archaeologists, and "The Collectors," a group of art collectors. As the teams enter the museum, they are greeted by Dr. Alexander Sturgis, the Director of the Ashmolean Museum, who welcomes them and gives a brief history of the museum.

The contestants are then split into two teams and are led to different parts of the museum to answer questions based on the artifacts on display. The questions cover a range of topics from history, art, and archaeology to curatorial practices.

As the teams navigate through the different galleries, the viewers are treated to a glimpse of some of the museum's most prized possessions, including the Alfred Jewel, the Mauritshuis Collection, and the Ashmolean's collection of Japanese swords. The quiz format of the show is engaging, and the questions are designed to test the contestants' knowledge and provide interesting facts about the museum and the objects on display.

One of the highlights of the episode is when the contestants are taken to the conservation lab, where they get to see how some of the damaged artifacts are repaired and restored by the museum's team of conservationists. The viewers also get to see some of the cutting-edge technology used by the museum to preserve and protect its collection.

As the teams progress through the museum, they collect points for each correct answer, with the winning team getting the chance to compete in the final round. The final round, called "The Object of the Game," involves identifying three objects from the museum's collection based on a series of clues.

The episode ends with the winning team being announced and awarded a prize, with both teams taking home a wealth of knowledge about the artifacts and history of the Ashmolean Museum. The show succeeds in bringing to life the richness and diversity of the Ashmolean Museum's exhibits and highlights its contribution to the world of art and archaeology.

Overall, Quizeum is an entertaining and informative show that appeals to anyone interested in museums, art, and culture. It provides a novel way of learning about the various museums and their collections, and the quiz format adds an element of fun and competition to the experience.