The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology is an archaeology and anthropology museum that is part of the University of Pennsylvania in University City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

History

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The UPM, as it is commonly known, was founded in 1887. During the early 20th century, the UPM conducted some of the first and most important archaeological and anthropological expeditions to Egypt, Mesopotamia, Africa, East Asia and South America. The UPM's current collections reflect the successes of these early expeditions. The Museum's name has subtly shifted over time; until the 1990s it was known, even more cumbersomely, as The University Museum of Archaeology/Anthropology of the University of Pennsylvania, and was generally referred to as The University Museum.

The Building

The Museum is housed in a Beaux Arts building that is one of the landmarks of the University of Pennsylvania campus. The existing original building (onto which have been grafted several later additions) is actually only approximately one-third of an ambitious design that would have created one of the largest museum buildings in the United States. Features of the extant building include a dramatic rotunda and gardens that include Egyptian papyrus. British architect David Chipperfield will head a redesign of the museum in 2006, plans include having the museum fully air conditioned.

MASCA

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MASCA is the scientific division of the University of Pennsylvania Museum. Its research focuses on the application of modern scientific techniques that will aid the interpretation of archaeological contexts and the materials recovered from those contexts, during both current excavations and past ones.

Collections

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The UPM features a variety of comprehensive collections including galleries of artifacts from Egypt, China and Mesopotamia. Other highlights include a number of important Greco-Roman antiquities, Buddhist art, a small but choice collection of African art, and an impressive array of Mayan and other Pre-Columbian pieces.

Egypt

The museum's collection of Egyptian artifacts is considered one of the finest in the world. The UPM's Egyptian galleries house an extensive collection of statuary, mummies, and reliefs. Most notably, the museum houses a set of architectural elements, including large columns and a sphinx, from the palace of the Pharaoh Merenptah. These were excavated by a UPM expedition to Egypt in 1915.

China

Also of note is the UPM's large gallery of Chinese cultures. This gallery is impressive both for its collection and its location in the museum. The Chinese collection is housed in a spacious gallery underneath the museum's Harrison rotunda, which measures ninety feet across and ninety feet from the floor. This gallery houses large paintings and sculptures, as well as a perfectly spherical carved Chinese crystal — one of the finest in existence (and the subject of a dramatic theft and rescue some years ago; the crystal ball was discovered stowed in a bowling bag in the home a relative of one of the thieves, while its elegant silver stand, a stylized ocean wave, was found in a culvert not far from the Museum

Mesopotamia

The museum's most important collection is arguably that of the Royal Tombs of Ur, which The University of Pennsylvania co–excavated with the British Museum in Iraq. Ur was an important and wealthy city-state in ancient Sumer, and the artifacts from its royal tombs showcase the city's wealth. The collections consists of a variety of crowns, figures, and musical instruments, many of which have been inlaid with gold and precious stones. The often traveling collection includes a well known Bull-headed lyre.

Mesoamerica

The UPM conducted an excavation of the Mayan temples at Tikal, Guatemala from 1956 to 1970. Many important artifacts from this excavation (such as several stelae) are on view in the museum, as well as a miniature replica of Tikal.

Reference

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External links

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• University of Pennsylvania website
• University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology website
• UPM Gallery Guide

Museums in Philadelphia | University of Pennsylvania | Archaeology museums | University museums | Anthropology museums