Anthropology Collection
The Anthropology Collection explores the rich cultural diversity of our shared world through collecting, curating, researching, and exhibiting archaeological and ethnographic objects from cultures both past and present. The Collection illuminates both cultural differences and similarities throughout the world and how such interconnectivity creates opportunities for intercultural learning. The Collection contributes to our understanding of shared cultural heritage by making material culture accessible to students, scholars, cultural practitioners, and our publics in Nebraska and around the world. The collection fulfills this mission through ethical stewardship, cultural relativism, collaborative partnerships, and respect for the expertise of Indigenous communities.
Explore the Collection
The Anthropology Collection curates worldwide ethnological and archaeological collections. Currently, UNSM's Anthropology Collection houses 40,000 objects from 63 countries around the world, with regional strengths in Africa, Native North America, Oceania, South America, and East Asia. The collection includes worldwide holdings of textiles, basketry, ceramics, and weapons. Of the 40,000 objects in the collection, around 15,000 are archaeological artifacts. The majority of the collection comes from the Great Plains region of the United States. Other notable areas represented in the archaeology collection include Egypt, Turkey, and Mexico.
[Collection Database] NAGPRA
Contact Us:
Curator: Alan Osborn
Collections Manager: Katelyn McMullin
NAGPRA Project Manager: Taylor Ronquillo
Anthropology Collection: 402-472-5044
NAGPRA Inquiries: 402-472-6592
Visiting Researchers: Please email the collections manager to arrange a time for your visit.
Land Acknowledgement
The University of Nebraska State Museum acknowledges that we are part of the land-grant institution University of Nebraska museums, campuses and programs on the past, present, and future homelands of the Pawnee, Ponca, Oto-Missouria, Omaha, Dakota, lakota, Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Kaw Peoples, as well as the relocated Ho-Chunk, Iowa, and Sac and Fox Peoples.
Special Collections
Miss Mie
Miss Mie has been cared for by UNSM's Anthropology Collection since 1928, after the historic Friendship Doll exchange took place between the youth of Japan and the United States.
Luella Buros Collection
This collection features 1,200 ethnographic items as well as 12,000 slides collected predominantly across Africa by Luella Buros over 4 decades, and bequested to UNSM in 1995.
Andersen Collection
The Anderson Collection consists of more than 3,500 chipped stone artifacts, catalogs, notebooks, photographs, and maps, collected by Perry Andersen, his son Harold V. Andersen, and Perry's wife Pauline.
Research Projects
Hubbard Lecture Series
This annual lecture series focuses on advancing the understanding and appreciation of the cultural heritage of the First Peoples of the Plains. It's made possible by contributions from Anne M. Hubbard and the Claire M. Hubbard Foundation.
Omaha Indian Heritage Project
Omaha culture is important to the history of the Plains peoples because the Omaha are one of the few Plains tribes who continue an earthlodge/horticultural adaptation to the Plains even after horses were introduced. Omaha artifacts are scarse, widely dispersed, and not well catalogued. Moreover, the collections are not readily accessible to the public or to tribal members. In an effort to make Omaha artifacts and photographic images more available, this project is creating an online catalogue of tribal resources drawn from international sources.
Museum Exhibits
Objects from UNSM's Anthropology Collection are featured in several public museum exhibits: