Mission:

The Peabody Museum engages the Harvard community, descendant communities, and the broader public in examining the origins and history of cultural traditions around the globe, creating knowledge through the study and acquisition of world class archaeological and ethnographic collections. The Museum is dedicated to the documentation, preservation, and study of human origins, prehistory, historic cultures, and contemporary societies. We actively investigate the emergence and interconnectedness of human populations and cultural and ethnic traditions, including their biological and environmental contexts.

The Peabody Museum actively participates in national and international scholarly dialogues and promotes formal and informal learning in a variety of modalities, from small classes to large conferences, exhibitions, films, student internships, and the celebration of cultural events in our World Cultures Forum. We consult, incorporate, and involve students, faculty, descendant communities, and diasporic community in research, teaching, and public programs.

We partner with other Harvard entities and scholars and institutions beyond our campus to illuminate cultural diversity and linkages from ancient times to the present, providing a place and context for intellectual exchanges among our multiethnic community. The Peabody thrives as a portal to the cultural diversity of the world and as a gateway for the public to engage with the University. We preserve the past, which has shaped who we are today, to ensure a better understanding of human origins and history for the contemporary world and for future generations.

Vision:

The Peabody Museum strengthens Harvard’s role as a global university informed by but transcending geography, race, religion, and politics in today’s world. We explore and celebrate ancient and contemporary cultures, historical events, spirituality, and the creativity of the peoples and nations of our world. The Museum enhances international understanding at Harvard University through multidisciplinary research, teaching, and the dissemination of scholarship.