The museum used to be a brewery

Andrew Nairne, director of the museum, said: "At the Museum of Modern Art we are constantly finding ways to enable more people to appreciate and enjoy modern and contemporary art.

"Our current objective is to abolish our entrance charge and to offer a broader exhibitions and education programme at no cost to the public.

"The proceeds of this sale will help us achieve it."

One of the highlights of the sale is an oil on linen titled The Park II - Sheep Meadow by British artist Bill Jacklin.

It measures 99.5 by 122 centimetres and its estimated value is �15,000-20,000.

There is also an unframed abstract gouache on paper titled Rectangle Number 6 by American artist Sol Le Witt. It is thought this will sell for about �4,500-6,000.

Brewery to museum

Other artists featured in the sale include Anthony Caro, Barry Flanagan, Cecil Beaton, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Roy Lichtenstein.

The Oxford Museum of Modern Art was founded in 1965 and has established itself as one of Europe's most influential galleries.

It focuses on 20th Century painting, sculpture, photography, film, video, architecture, design and performance.

Originally built as a brewery in the 1880s, the premises at Pembroke Street were converted to their present use and now include five large exhibition galleries, a caf� and a bookshop.