Over the course of some 400-some archeological and anthropological international expeditions since 1887, Penn professors and academics of have managed to amass an impressive haul of than one million ancient objects from around the world. A vast portion of these are displayed—and intelligently explained—in the 25 galleries of this massive Beaux Arts building in University City.

The Egyptian collection, one of the largest in the Americas and considered one of the finest in the world, includes enormous columns, and the exhibit "Mummies, Secrets, and Science"— a favorite among families. The third floor’s world-renown excavation display of Sumerian jewelry and household objects from the royal tombs of Ur is not to be missed. Nearby, ogle giant cloisonné lions from Beijing's Imperial Palace, Chinese court treasures, tomb figures, and the world's second largest crystal ball. Basically, if it's ancient, it's here. Mesopotamia; the Bible Lands; Mesoamerica; ancient Greece and Rome; and native peoples of the Americas, Africa, and Polynesia are also all represented.

Mondays are event days, with performances, concerts, and special tours. 


Wednesday mornings often feature multicultural kid-friendly performances such as dance, storytelling, drumming, or puppetry.