Clarke Hall: Archaeology
The main permanent gallery on the ground floor is dedicated to the archaeology of Cambridge and the surrounding area. The only display of its kind in the city, the Cambridge Gallery presents some 1,200 objects that bring the history of the region to life.
Highlights include:
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the Cambridge Archaeology Wall, a 3.75m-wide, three-layer display showing prehistoric, Roman and medieval finds and their location on a map of the city
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the Tower of Samian display of highly decorated Roman pottery
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the famous Arbury Coffin, containing the bones of a woman, a shrew and a mouse thought to date from the fourth century AD, which inspired the Sylvia Plath poem ‘All the Dead Dears’
Maudslay Hall: Anthropology
On the first floor, the World Cultures gallery houses the Museum's principal Anthropology collection, dipslaying culturally significant art and artefacts from around the world.
Highlights include:
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the Museum’s exquisite collection of Asian sculpture
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a 26-foot-high (8-metre) intricately carved Maori flagpole, fully restored in 2008
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art and craft material from the Torres Strait Islands, off the northern coast of Australia
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unique objects from Oceania, North America and the Arctic collected on the voyages of Captain Cook
Andrews Gallery: Archaeology
On the second floor, the Andrews Gallery is dedicated to World Archaeology. Displays change frequently, and highlight the breadth of the Museum's collection.
Highlights include:
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Important material from predynastic Egypt
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Displays on the Maya, with casts of large monumental stelae
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Objects from ancient China and the Middle East
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Moche pottery
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A drawing by TAKING CARE Artist-in-residence Tony Phillips
Li Ka Shing Gallery: Temporary Exhibitions
Located on the ground floor, the Li Ka Shing Gallery is the Museum’s main temporary exhibition space.
Beneath Our Feet: Archaeology of the Cambridge Region
21 June 2023 - 14 April 2024
New archaeological discoveries are made every year. They are not always made by archaeologists, nor in the places you might expect. From people’s back gardens to scientific laboratories, the past is everywhere.
We welcome you to explore the archaeology of the Cambridge region in our new exhibition.
South Lecture Room: Temporary Exhibitions
Used for teaching during term time, the South Lecture Room is kindly loaned to the Museum by the Department of Archaeology for use as a temporary exhibition space during the University summer vacation.
