The ANU Classics Museum, established in 1962 and housed within the College of Arts and Social Sciences, contains over 600 significant artefacts. From the wider Mediterranean world—from Britain to the Near Eastern region – each of these items has a story to tell about how it was made, how it was used or the context in which it was used. 

Unlike the collections held in the Nicholson Museum at Sydney University and the Felton Collection in Melbourne, which hold fine collections of monumental sculpture and the luxury goods of the ancient world, this ANU collection features the homely items of the household (mixing bowls and strainers, tiny lamps and feeding bottles for babies). The collection allows students, researchers and the public to explore and understand the everyday life and experiences of the ancient world in a remarkably authentic way. 

The collection has strong research significance, with the potential to contribute to work in Classics and Ancient History, Archaeology, Art History, and the visual arts. Scholars both from the ANU and from other institutions engage with the Museum collection for research purposes. The Classics Museum is also open to the public, and regularly hosts public tours as well as school and community groups from Canberra and interstate. 

Search the Classics Museum Catalogue

Collections Contact: collections.anu@anu.edu.au