The first natural history museum was possibly that of Swiss scholar Conrad Gessner, established in Zürich in the mid-16th century.[2] The Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, established in Paris in 1635, was the first natural history museum to take the form that would be recognized as a natural history museum today.[2] Early natural history museums offered limited accessibility, as they were generally private collections or holdings of scientific societies.[3] The Ashmolean Museum, opened in 1683, was the first natural history museum to grant admission to the general public.[3]