Page, Moira Sullivan

The history of anthropology cannot be separated from the museum. In the early days of anthropology as a developing discipline, scholars were educated and conducted research within anthropological museums. However, as new theories replaced old ones, anthropologists began to move away from teaching in the museum to teaching in the university. To better understand the relationship between museums and anthropology, I begin with a historical overview of the connections linking the museum and anthropology. I then turn to the present day, where I analyze the websites of three anthropological museums to show that although museums no longer are the primary spaces to educate anthropologists, they serve an important role in educating the public. I conclude with suggestions for anthropological museums in moving forward with public education.