World Cultures collection

Explore the material culture of indigenous peoples throughout the world in our International Collection.

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Vanessa Finney
Updated

02/09/20

Ancient Egyptian collection

The Australian Museum’s Egyptian Collection includes over one thousand objects and is one of the largest public collections of Egyptian antiquities in Australia.

Ancient Egyptian Timeline
Glossary of terms
Egyptian art

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African collection

In 1884, the Museum acquired nearly 100 cultural objects of the Zulu people, South Africa. Learn more about the collection material originally from Africa.

Zulu shields
Stone Hand Axes from Somalia

Chinese collection

A small collection from a cultural giant.

Chinese scroll painting
Bronze objects
Nestorian Stele

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Balinese art

Almost 1000 Balinese artefacts including nearly 200 Kamasan-style paintings, 100 Modernist paintings, over 100 musical instruments and 170 dance costumes and accessories.

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Kwa-guilth Pole: British Columbia, Canada

Western Red Cedar pole of the Kwa-guilth people from British Colombia.

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Chimu Pottery from Cayalti, Peru

In 1910 the Australian Museum purchased 54 Peruvian pots from Mr Thomas Colston.

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Indonesian collection

Discover cultural material and objects in our Indonesian collection. The Australian Museum holds a collection of about 300 Indonesian textiles. Many textiles reflect the traditional methods of production, design and use.

Daha Ata Sanniya Masks

Ancient dance ritual in Sinhalese culture of Sri Lanka.

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Museum Archives and Research Library

The Museum Archives and Research Library cares for the Museum’s institutional memory and its historic natural history book and journal collections dating from 1836.

History of the Museum
Archives
Rare books
Photography

Explore our history