Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, Harvard University

Harvard University’s Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology cares for cultural heritage from peoples around the world and across time, including objects and images. Its galleries hold towering Native American totem poles, large Maya sculptures and artifacts of the ancient world. Visitors can explore Maya culture in the Latin American galleries and Native American history through exhibitions on Penobscot canoes, Lakota images of the contested West, and the Indian College at colonial Harvard.

Another exhibition looks back at the early days of American anthropology as presented at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, a reminder of the museum’s long history in the field. The Peabody was founded in 1866 and is among the oldest anthropology museums anywhere. It sits within Harvard’s museum complex in Cambridge and shares its admission with the neighboring Harvard Museum of Natural History, so visitors can see both in a single visit.

What to Know

• Harvard students lead drop-in tours during the fall and spring semesters.
• Admission is free for children under 3 and for museum members.
• Discounted admission is available for seniors, students and youth.
• The museum is a Meet Boston partner attraction.