About Us
Our mission is to serve as a welcoming, vibrant center where faculty, students, and the public can connect and experience new ideas through our focus on teaching, research, collecting and public engagement. We strive to provide students with pre-professional development opportunities that will point them toward personal and professional success.
Our vision is to further the University's Plan for Excellence by serving as a leader in community engagement, enhancing the quality of life for all campus community members, and be an inspiring classroom that promotes a collaborative culture of thought and inquiry across campus and within the larger community.
Come visit us today!
About the Museum
Originally founded in 2007 as the Old Library Atrium Museum, the Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology is West Chester University’s teaching laboratory for museum studies and a nexus for students, the campus, and greater community. Through sequenced coursework and practice, students learn the nuances of exhibit development and curation, museum administration, object collections management, and audience research.
The Museum maintains a permanent collection of archaeological and ethnographic materials that form the core of its exhibits. Loans of historical, artistic, and cultural items also greatly enhance the content of the themed exhibitions. Past exhibits have utilized the department’s rich archaeological and ethnographic collections to feature Native American culture, The Silk Road, foodways, enculturation through children’s toys, and human rights. University faculty are encouraged to explore and utilize these exhibits with their students. The Museum welcomes community members and groups.
The Department of Anthropology and Sociology manages the Museum, which is under the direction of Dr. Michael A. Di Giovine. The WCU Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology is officially part of the West Chester University Museums and Special Archives (WCUMSA), which is composed of our institution, the Francis Harvey Green Library, and the WCU Special Collections. The WCUMSA is a member of the American Alliance of Museums.
Museum in the News
The making of an exhibit
Undergraduate and graduate students in Dr. Di Giovine's Museum Exhibit Curation class work tirelessly to bring us the WCU Museum of Anthropology & Archaeology’s upcoming exhibit on Earth Day. Student co-curated annual exhibits are featured in the Museum, located on the first floor of the Old Library Building.
Museum Studies students talk about their experiences
Photo Credit: Taria Rivera-Montes
