Explore humanity's stories through our on-site exhibitions, displays, events and more.
Looking to explore the museum from your sofa? We are committed to expanding our offering beyond the museum's walls, so keep an eye out for digital resources, virtual exhibitions and more within these pages, or follow us on social media for much more!
Exhibitions
COLOUR: Art, Science & Power
Li Ka Shing Gallery
26 July 2022 - 9 April 2023
Explore the colourful world at our summer exhibition COLOUR, which brings together extraordinary objects and artworks from the arts, humanities and sciences, showcasing remarkable and diverse collections from across the University of Cambridge Museums, libraries and colleges. The displays harness the allure and power of colour to inspire reflection and creativity.
Temporary displays
Spotlight on Stores Move
Spotlight gallery
July 2022 - April 2023
The members of the Stores Move team, who are working to move over 250,000 objects from our current off-site stores to the new Centre for Material Culture, have chosen the objects in these cases to represent the different ways in which they interact with and care for the collections. Although our engagements with objects are structured by the requirement of a highly ambitious project, they are also intensely individual.
The team have different specialisms and passions but are united by the desire to give these collections the visibility and care that they deserve. We hope that these objects will be the first of many to be exhibited, explored and enjoyed as a result of our work.
Tony Phillips: Civilisation
All galleries
A new installation by British artist Tony Phillips is exhibited amongst existing MAA displays, linking contemporary life with ethnographic collections. As part of the project TAKING CARE - Ethnographic and World Cultures Museums as Spaces of Care, Tony Phillips is the first of three artists in residence at MAA.
Contemporary Gweagal spears by Rod Mason
Maudslay Gallery
In dialogue with the new display of Kamay spears now open at the Chau Chak Wing Museum in Sydney, a new display is now open at MAA of three contemporary spears, made by Senior Elder of the Gweagla Clan, Dharawal Nation, Rod Mason.
Permanent displays
Pacific Currents: New Displays from Oceania in the World Anthropology Gallery
Pacific Currents showcases MAA’s exceptional and wide-ranging Oceanic collections, which originate from throughout the Pacific and date from the late 18th century to the present day.
Events and workshops
Arts and Minds: Free art workshops
Arts and Minds offers free art workshops at MAA for those experiencing depression, stress or anxiety.
No experience of art is necessary. The workshops are led by a professional artist and a qualified counsellor, offering the chance to experience working with a wide range of materials and techniques, including drawing, printmaking and sculpture.
Kiribati Dancers Krista Dixon and Chloe Karea at the opening for the exhibition Pacific Currents. 5 July 2018. Photography by Josh Murfitt.
