Ohio museum's sale of antiquities from Egypt draws criticism

Ohio's Toledo Museum of Art is seen in this 2014 image from Google Street View. (Google)

TOLEDO, Ohio -- Ohio's Toledo Museum of Art is selling 68 antiquities from its collection, a move drawing criticism from a nationally known archaeologist and Egyptian officials.

The Blade newspaper reports about half the items are from Egypt. Others come from Cyprus, Greece and Italy. They're being sold in a New York auction on Tuesday and an online sale closing the same day.

The museum's director says its board approved selling the items that didn't meet the current collection's quality. He says it expects to generate about $500,000, which can be used on other acquisitions.

Art expert and Toledo native Joan Connelly says it's distressing because modern laws make it difficult to acquire such items.

The newspaper says the Egyptian government indicated in news coverage there that it's seeking to stop the sales.