Archaeological Institute of America

Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East Tours Led by Harvard Students
2025-04-06 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-04-13 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-04-20 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-04-27 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, 6 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Available during the Harvard academic year Sundays at 1:00 pm, October 6, 2024–April 27, 2025. See blackout dates.*
*Blackout dates: December 1, 2024–January 26, 2025; and March 16–23, 2025.
This free tour, led by Harvard students, explores the Mediterranean Marketplaces: Connecting the Ancient World exhibition and how the movement of goods, peoples, and ideas around the ancient Mediterranean transformed the lives and livelihoods of people at all levels of society. Touch replicas and smell “ancient” scents as the students bring the past alive.
Visitors may drop in at the scheduled times. No reservation is required. Tours meet in the lobby and last approximately 45 minutes.
Tours for groups of ten or more may be scheduled at other times. Tours may be available by advance request in these languages: Hindi, Bengali, and Mandarin.

Amazing Archaeology Fair at Harvard
2025-04-06 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | The Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology and the Harvard Museum of Natural History, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, 02138, United States
Venture on archaeological expeditions around the world in this annual event for all ages. Talk with archaeologists who study ancient Egyptians, Incas, prehistoric peoples, and others. Try ancient cuneiform writing and use an app that animates detailed wall art in Assyrian palaces. Discover cave art made by Neanderthals and other early humans, and learn how mummies’ names reveal secrets of Egyptian “tomb recycling.” Discover these and other surprises during this popular event.
Regular museum admission rates apply. Free event parking at the 52 Oxford Street Garage.
Presented by the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, and the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture.
Share the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1351593716201382
https://tinyurl.com/AmazingArchFair
https://tinyurl.com/IncreibleArqueologiaHarvard

Emeralds
2025-04-12 09:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Emeralds is a new, intimate collection of stunning crystals, gemstones, and jewelry on display in the Earth & Planetary Sciences Gallery.
Highly coveted by a wide variety of cultures, emeralds have played a significant role in shaping human history, helping to facilitate trade and even build empires. From rough stones to sophisticated jewelry, emeralds continue to captivate with their beauty and historical significance, symbolizing luxury and power across cultures and eras. While emeralds are rare, they can be found in countries throughout the world, including Colombia, Madagascar, and Egypt, to name a few. Emeralds formed inside rocks millions of years ago. Those from South Africa are known to be about 2.9 billion years old, while Colombian emeralds date back over 48 million years! The unique characteristics of emeralds provide valuable insights into the processes that formed them. With the use of new AI technologies, scientists are making major advances in unraveling their stories and tracing their origins.
Through November 30
Photo: Metamorphosis. Brooch created by Wallace Chan. Emerald 16 pcs 52.44 tcw. Diamond, Ruby, Amethyst, Citrine, Blue Topaz, Crystal, Butterfly Wings, Mother of Pearl, Tsavorite Garnet, Sapphire, Yellow Diamond, 18K. White Gold, Titanium. On loan from George and Sherry Huang Collection

Goddess in Progress
2025-06-13 | The Parthenon, 2500 West End Ave, Nashville, TN, 37203, United States
New museum exhibition at the Nashville Parthenon, June 13, 2025-April 19, 2026
Get the story behind the creation and construction of Nashville’s Athena Parthenos with this historic exhibit. Alan LeQuire won the commission in 1982 by proposing a historically-accurate replica of the ancient statue. The young artist began an odyssey of research which included a visit to the ancient Parthenon in Greece, and consultation with leading scholars. During the eight years of construction, LeQuire triumphed over engineering complications, political challenges, and a fire that demolished his studio. Travel with LeQuire on his journey to creating and scaling a figure that became the largest indoor sculpture in the Western world.
Museum hours, check NashvilleParthenon.com for updated hours.
Monday-Thursday 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Friday-Saturday 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Sunday 12:30 – 4:30 PM

The World Between: Egypt and Nubia in Africa - Exhibition Opening
2025-08-30 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | The Fralin Museum, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22903
Political boundaries are sharp, but cultures tend to blend into each other. That ‘in-betweenness’ is rarely contained by political frontiers. What kind of social and cultural worlds connected Egypt with its southern neighbors? And what was Egypt’s relationship with other African cultures of its time, like Nubia (in present day Sudan)? While contemporary scholarship acknowledges the indigenous origin of Egyptian culture, its story is still rarely told from an African perspective. How did the earliest Egyptian and Nubian cultures relate to each other? In ancient Egypt, Nubians were portrayed as wretched enemies, bound captives, or soldiers. To what extent were their lives defined by Egyptian ideas and colonization? What societal roles did they have and how did their cultural practices impact Egyptian ones? In later times, the Kushite and Meroitic rulers of Nubia revitalized pharaonic culture. Their adoption of Egyptian symbols and beliefs is frequently examined through the lens of ‘Egyptianization.’ What was the nature of this borrowing, and how were Egyptian customs blended with indigenous and other traditions? This exhibition aims to showcase the deep cultural embeddedness of ancient Egypt in Africa, beyond merely acknowledging its geographical position on the African continent. What did Egypt owe to other African cultures in Nubia and, inversely, what did it bequeath to them? The exhibition demonstrates the complex interaction of different cultures in Egypt and Nubia, from prehistory (ca. 3800 BCE) through the Post-Meroitic era (641 CE).

International Archaeology Day at the Parthenon
2025-10-18 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | Nashville Parthenon, 2500 West End Ave, Nashville, TN, 37203, United States
On October 18, 2025, the Archaeological Institute of America-Nashville Society and the Nashville Parthenon are teaming up to join hundreds of archaeological organizations around the world to celebrate International Archaeology Day and the Tennessee STEAM Festival. Museum visitors at this archaeology fair event will view two special exhibits, Goddess In Progress in the East Gallery and The Role of Replica in the West Gallery, explore Level 2’s replica interior of the ancient Parthenon, participate in activity stations, and earn an “Official Archaeologist of the Nashville Parthenon” sticker! Stop by activity stations from 9 AM – 12 PM.
What is international archaeology Day at the Parthenon?
International Archaeology Day is a morning full of family-friendly STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) activities that highlight archaeological work and artifacts to share the legacy of Greek culture to raise awareness of the ancient world.
RSVP in advance below for free museum admission for this event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/parthenon-international-archaeology-day-tickets-1505905647329?aff=oddtdtcreator
You can also mention visiting for International Archaeology Day the day of for discounted admission.
Activities include:
–Ask an Archaeologist, 9 AM – 12 PM: Meet Dr. Debby Sneed, an archaeologist who and will answer questions about all things archaeology and ancient Greece. About Dr. Sneed: Dr. Debby Sneed is assistant professor of classics at California State University, Long Beach, and an archaeologist whose research focuses on disability in ancient Greece. She is also field director of the Agora Excavations in Athens, conducted by the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, which is the preeminent research center for US scholars and students studying Greek culture from antiquity to the present. She earned a Ph.D. in archaeology from UCLA, and a MA in classics from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Bonus: Register for a free virtual Symposium with Dr. Sneed, Sunday, October 20, at 10 AM Central!
–Gold Leafing Demonstration, 9 AM – 12 PM: Meet Micki & Mitch Cavanah of Reed’s Gold Leaf, the experts who helped gild Athena! They will be demonstrating the gold leafing process LIVE inside the Parthenon in honor of The Society of Gilders’ worldwide gilding symposium. The Society of Gilders is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the education of the gilding arts.
–The Role of a Replica Talk, 10:30 AM: Join a Parthenon staff member for a special tour at 10:30 AM about the making of the exhibition in the West Gallery, The Role of a Replica.
–Polychromy at the Parthenon, 9 AM – 12 PM: Work with archaeologists from AIA-Nashville Society to create colorful masterpieces just like ancient statues and buildings.
–Conservation Station, 9 AM – 12 PM: Work to piece together ceramic fragments just like conservators study how broken fragments join to form a complete artifact. Many of the ceramics come from the Centennial Art Center, which used to be the Centennial Park Pool but now hosts art classes and workshops.
–Experimental Archaeology, 9 AM – 12 PM: Build miniature ancient structures with blocks and assorted materials just as archaeologists learn about the past by testing out ideas through experimentation of architectural steps and processes.
–Research Station, 9 AM – 12 PM: Designated the Quiet Area, this inclusive space offers books and resources on archaeology, ancient Greece, and mythology.
–Exterior Architecture Audio Tour, available 24/7: Free audio tour in English, Spanish, or Arabic!
IAD Helpful Information:
Never been to International Archaeology Day at the Parthenon before? This list of tips will help you prepare for a fun visit!
–We recommend arriving early to ensure enough time to explore and visit each activity station.
–AIA-Nashville Society members receive free museum admission.
–Metro Nashville Parks & Recreation employees receive free museum admission.
–RSVP in advance for free museum admission: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/parthenon-international-archaeology-day-tickets-1505905647329?aff=oddtdtcreator
–If you miss the advance RSVP, mention visiting for International Archaeology Day on site at the museum Ticket Counter for discounted admission.
About International Archaeology Day
International Archaeology Day is a celebration of archaeology and the thrill of discovery. The Archaeological Institute of America and collaborating archaeological organizations across the United States, Canada, and abroad present archaeological programs and activities for people of all ages and interests. Whether it is a family-friendly archaeology fair, a guided tour of a local archaeological site, a simulated dig, a lecture or classroom visit from an archaeologist, interactive, hands-on International Archaeology Day programs provide the chance to indulge your inner Indiana Jones and be an archaeologist for the day. For more information about International Archaeology Day, visit http://www.archaeologyday.org.
About Tennessee STEAM Festival
Founded by the Discovery Center, the Tennessee STEAM Festival is a 10-day statewide celebration designed to build interest and excitement in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics). For more information about the Tennessee STEAM Festival, visit www.tnsteam.org.

Uncover Archaeology: Community Archaeology Day at the Joukowsky Institute
2025-10-18 11:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology, Rhode Island Hall, Brown University, 60 George Street, Providence, RI, 02912, United States
Join the Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World and the AIA Narragansett Society for an archaeology-themed open house on Brown University’s Main Green. See ancient coins from Greece and Rome up close! Touch animal bones! Examine and draw Persian and Roman ceramics, prehistoric tools, precious metals, and other artifacts from thousands of years ago – coached by experts! And talk with Brown’s archaeologists about their fieldwork all over the world! Free and open to the public, and all ages are welcome.
