Facilitating a glimpse into ancient worlds

To anyone fascinated by the ancient world, the ANU Classics Museum is a treasure trove. From modest beginnings, the museum collection has grown steadily thanks to the immense generosity of alumni and donors, particularly The Friends of ANU Classics Museum.

Founded in 1962, the ANU Classics Museum is open to the public and used as a teaching resource to help students learn about the ancient worlds. ANU students enrolled in ancient history, archaeology, and art history subjects each have the opportunity to handle the 650 items in its collection.

Donors play a vital role in acquiring artefacts for the museum and in making the collection accessible, both online and through a digital app. In 2021, support from the University donor community, led by The Friends, enabled the ANU Classics Museum to run a program of free public lectures on the history, archaeology, culture and art of the ancient world.

Thanks also to the support of donors in 2021, a search is underway for the first ever Friends' Fellow, who will oversee the collection, undertake outreach activities associated with the Museum and contribute to teaching undergraduate courses.

It is thanks to support from the University donor community and The Friends of ANU Classics Museum that this important collection can continue to grow.