Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology Museum

Address: 11 Divinity Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States

Website: https://www.peabody.harvard.edu/

Hours: Tue-Sun 10am-5pm, closed Mondays

Admission: Adults $10-$15 (check website for current rates); Harvard students and children often free or discounted

The Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology is a university museum at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, established in 1866 to house archaeological and ethnographic collections.

The museum presents permanent galleries and rotating exhibitions that cover the Americas, the Pacific, Africa, and Asia, with material ranging from prehistoric archaeological finds to recent ethnographic collections. The public displays are supplemented by object study rooms and educational programs for schools and university courses.

Founded in 1866, the institution has grown through donations and field collections to serve as both a public museum and a research center for archaeology and ethnology. Over time the museum expanded its role in academic research, conservation, and teaching at Harvard.

Situated on Harvard University’s campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the museum sits close to Harvard Square and is across the Charles River from central Boston.

• Collections: Holds more than one million archaeological and ethnographic objects, spanning North and South America, the Pacific, Africa, and Asia.
• Getting there: Located on Harvard University’s campus near Harvard Square and accessible by public transit via the Harvard Square MBTA station.

What to See#

• Exhibition galleries: Permanent galleries and temporary exhibition spaces that present archaeological and ethnographic material from the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania; galleries are used for both public display and teaching.
• Research collections: Houses research collections, archives, and study spaces that support Harvard teaching and academic research; access for researchers is by appointment.

The Peabody Museum is on the edge of Harvard Yard in Cambridge, a short walk from Harvard Square station (MBTA Red Line). Several MBTA bus lines run along Massachusetts Avenue. Street parking is limited; using public transit is strongly recommended.

• Allow time to see the visible storage: the exhibition of objects spans North and South America and the Pacific - the arrangement reveals curatorial choices as much as ancient practices.
• Ask about current research: the museum staff and students can often point to recent digs and publications not visible in display labels.
• Combine a visit with a walk across Harvard Yard; the museum sits a few minutes' walk from Harvard Square and the Massachusetts Avenue bus corridor.