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Welcome to the Anthropology Museum

ColeHallAnthropologyMuseum

History

The Anthropology Museum at Northern Illinois University was founded in 1964 and is operated as part of the Department of Anthropology. The museum houses over 12,000 objects comprised mostly of ethnographic material with some archaeological material. 

The museum specializes in cultures of Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and the Southwest and Plains Native Americans.  In addition, the museum holds smaller collections from Africa, modern Greece, Mesoamerica, and South America.  The museum is particularly proud of the Native American basket collection, featuring over 200 specimens, as well as the Indonesian textile collection, which contains over 600 pieces.  In addition, the museum also houses about 100 different Indonesian shadow puppets, a fine collection of Thai khon masks, and important collections of Hmong and Karen artifacts.  The museum has a growing collection of modern Mesoamerican artifacts reflecting the cultural and artistic changes taking place in modern Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico.

 

Mission Statement

"The Anthropology Museum collects, stores and preserves artifacts and historical records from non-western cultures.  It exists for the purposes of fostering curiosity, enjoyment and increased understanding and appreciation of anthropology and its various subfields within the university as well as among residents of surrounding communities.  It serves as a research facility for students and faculty.  It strives to educate through the use of exhibitions both within the museum as well as in the form of traveling displays.  To meet the goals set forth in this mission statement, those who work for, and on behalf of The Anthropology Museum, maintain the highest professional standards.  To this end, the museum subscribes to the American Association of Museum’s Code of Ethics."

 

 Assessment Programs Completed:

  • 2009  -  Conservation Assessment Program (CAP) sponsored by Heritage Preservation. Received a grant of $3,590.00 to participate.  The CAP was completed inNovember 2009.  
  • 2010 -   Museum Assessment Program (MAP) sponsored by American Association of Museums.  Received a grant of $850.00 to participate.  The MAP was completed June 2010.