The Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Philadelphia holds more than 1.3 million artifacts collected from around the world. This place features one of the largest collections of art from the Near and Middle East. All expositions are carefully thought out, so exhibitions are interesting even for professional researchers. Locals and travelers who have arrived in Pennsylvania from other countries often come here.
History of creation
The official name is the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, and the unofficial but generally recognized name is the Penn Museum. It was founded in 1887 after the completion of an expedition to Nippur, which is located on the territory of modern Iraq, before it belonged to the Ottoman Empire. After this event, university rector William Pepper was able to convince the board of trustees to build a Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Philadelphia, where the artifacts discovered during the excavations could be stored.
The building of the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Philadelphia is decorated in the Romanesque Renaissance style. Several architects were involved in the project, including Wilson Eyre, who was born in Florence, educated in Europe and worked in the United States. Most of the exhibits were obtained during the expeditions organized by the museum, which underlines their value. Since its foundation, scientists have conducted approximately 400 excavations around the world. In the 20th century, researchers went on business trips to Mesopotamia, Egypt, East Asia, and Latin America.
Short description
The Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Philadelphia hosts temporary exhibitions, many of them interactive. You can get acquainted not only with art objects, but also watch thematic films, slide shows, presentations by scientists, read books and magazines in the library. This is one of the most visited places in Pennsylvania. The world cultural heritage is located on 3 floors of the building. The exhibition features:
- Mesopotamian artifacts;
- Egyptian mummies;
- amulets of Indian tribes;
- ancient Greek coins;
- musical instruments of Africa and Asia.
Admission is free for children under 5 years of age, as well as active U.S. military personnel. Families with children or schoolchildren accompanied by teachers often come here. The Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Philadelphia not only describes history, but also allows you to mentally travel back in time, get acquainted with the artifacts of ancient civilizations, understand how the life of the native Americans was organized, get acquainted with the culture, traditions and customs of the peoples of the world.
Museum collections
- Mesoamerican collections include items from Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Costa Rica, and Mexico. These are masks, fabrics, Aztec artifacts, tools related to weaving, and much more.
- "Africa" was mostly collected between 1891 and 1937. The heritage of all regions can be found here. Among the exhibits are objects from sculpture, objects from textiles and ceramics, artifacts related to everyday life and life support, items from secret societies and even samples of medicines.
- The objects of the North America collection range in age from 20,000 to several hundred years. There are about 40,000 exhibits that belonged to 200 indigenous peoples. Animal masks, including wolves and deer, attract special attention.
- The Asian collection consists of about 3,000 art objects from China, Japan, Taiwan, and Tibet. Ceramic vases, dishes, sculptures, jewelry, bronze daggers and other weapons are collected here.
- Visitors often linger at Egyptian artifacts. Adults and children carefully study mummies, sculptures, and architectural elements, including preserved parts of the columns of the Ramesses II Sphinx, which dates back to 1,200 BC.
- In the Iraq collection, you can find royal tombs of Ur, crowns, clay tablets with inscriptions in different languages, literary works, musical instruments, among which the bull-headed lyre stands out.
How to get
The Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Philadelphia is open on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in the University City area. Buses No. 21, 30, 42 pass nearby, you can arrive by taxi, private or rented car. It is recommended to set aside at least 2 hours for a guided tour to explore most of the exhibits and explore the history of different countries. Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday – from 10:0-17:00, Mondays – day off. The time may change, so you should check the schedule on the museum's website.
Gallery
