Collections

Selections from the permanent collection of more than 14,000 works of art and archaeological objects are displayed in five galleries. Temporary exhibitions based on the permanent collection or on loans from other institutions or private individuals are exhibited in three additional galleries. Casts of Greek and Roman sculpture, on loan from the Department of Art History and Archaeology, occupy a gallery on the first floor.

The collection is comprehensive, containing objects from a wide range of cultures. The collection of Greek, Roman, and Near Eastern art works and artifacts is especially strong, and there are significant holdings from ancient Egypt and Byzantium. The Museum also has important holdings in European and American art from the fifteenth century to the present, including a Samuel H. Kress Study Collection of European paintings. Asian, African, Pre-Columbian, and Oceanic cultures are well represented.