Building History
In his September 2019 State of Indiana University at the Bicentennial speech, IU President Michael A. McRobbie announced the creation of this new museum as part of the university’s ongoing effort to care for its many precious collections and preserve the knowledge they hold. The new museum would merge the rich collections of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology and the Mathers Museum of World Cultures to create a world-class museum whose collections and research resources, dynamic exhibits, engaging programming, and outreach efforts will serve IU’s education and research missions and make it a leading destination for scholars, students, and the public. The IU Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (IUMAA) will bring together over five million objects to tell the story of humanity, from the rich heritage of Indiana's First Peoples to the lives of contemporary Hoosiers, and how those stories are connected to peoples around the world.
In fall 2020, extensive renovation work began on the building that previously housed the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology and the Mathers Museum of World Cultures at 416 N. Indiana Avenue on the IU Bloomington campus. Take a look at the renovation progress further down the page.
In spring 2022, staff and collections began moving back into the newly renovated space. Work continues as we organize the collections and prepare opening exhibits!
