A variety of ancient higher-learning institutions were developed in many cultures to provide institutional frameworks for scholarly activities. These ancient centres were sponsored and overseen by courts; by religious institutions, which sponsored cathedral schools, monastic schools, and madrasas; by scientific institutions, such as museums, hospitals, and observatories; and by certain scholars. They are distinct from the Western-style university, an autonomous organization of scholars that originated in medieval Europe and have been adopted in other regions in modern times (see List of oldest universities in continuous operation).