The mission of the Museum of Anthropology is to collect, curate, document, preserve, interpret, research, and disseminate knowledge concerning anthropological archaeology. The Museum's collections and research avenues complement the diverse interests at the University of Michigan and its role in public and professional education in local, state, national, and international communities. Through classroom and individual instruction, museum work, and field experience, the Museum provides both theoretical and practical training in archaeology to undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Michigan, and outreach to the people of Michigan and beyond.

Scope of the Collection

The foundation of the Museum of Anthropology is the research collections that are held in perpetuity for the public. Collections are accessioned, documented, and cataloged objects of both cultural and scientific significance. All collections are used for research, educational programs, exhibition, and loans. Materials are either owned by the Museum as an agent for the Regents of the University or are held in trust for federal and state agencies.

The collections of the Museum are split into two collection categories:

Geographical Research Collections:  The geographical areas for archaeological collections include North America, the Great Lakes, Latin America, Europe, Near and Middle East, Asia, Africa, and the Pacific. The collections are the basis for research and student education.

Subject Research Collections:  The subject area collections are required to help interpret geographical archaeological materials. These collections include the Ethnobotanical Laboratory, the Archaeozoology Laboratory, the Geochemical Analytical Collections, the Latin American Ethnohistory Library, the Human Osteology Collection, and the Ethnology Collection.