Ethnographic Collections

Ethnographic collections document the lives of living people and societies through significant objects (also called ‘material culture’). The ethnographic collections curated by the UW Anthropology Museum are made up of material culture from nearly every continent on Earth. Through these objects, the people who made them tell stories about their worldview, their cosmos, their needs, and their day-to-day lives.

Material culture from our ethnographic collections is currently on exhibit. We also provide access to students, staff, and faculty with research interests in our collections. Contact one of our staff if you are interested in learning more.